NATURE'S WITCH
by brionybee
Summary: Sarah's cousin joins the gang at Spencer. There's something special about her too. What will happen when she discovers the boy's secret? PogueOC, TylerOC, ReidOC, Caleb/Sarah Rating T, with MA rating further on.
1. Chapter 1

"I can't believe you're going to be here in two days!" Sarah cried into the phone excitedly, throwing herself down on her bed. A soft laugh was her reply. "I've been so lost since Kate left, and you're just the thing to perk me up!"

Her cousin laughed again, "Jesus, Sarah, you make me sound like a cup of coffee!"

Sarah grinned into the phone, drawing the comforter up and leaning against the headboard. "Seriously, nica, I miss you. Since your mom died, you've been a little..."

"Off?" he cousin offered.

"Well, yeah, kinda...I can feel you check up on me every now and then, but it's not the same..."

Sarah heard the small sigh and frowned "I know, bear, I just... I just got a little lost. I wasn't sure where I was without mom, you know?"

Sarah smiled "Yeah, I know. I had a dream about her the other day, did I tell you?"

"Uh-uh. OOOF!!" came the muffled reply.

"Dude...what are you doing??"

Monica laughed, "I'm still packing my things, and I was getting a bag down from the cupboard when a blanket fell on me. A heavy one! "

Sarah burst out laughing at the mental picture. "Only you, nica, only you".

Monica blew a raspberry into the phone, making Sarah giggle. "Sorry, so you were saying you had a dream about mom?"

"Oh yeah", Sarah sat up straighter, clearing her head, "I was at our spot, on my own, and I was worried about something, I can't remember what, when the pond started to ripple. I could feel her. I was concentrating so hard on the pond that I didn't even realise she was sitting beside me until she spoke. She told me everything was going to be ok, that you and I would be fine. She kissed my forehead, like she used to, and then I couldn't see anything through the butterflies. I woke up feeling fantastic. Lighter, if that makes any sense..."

Monica had sat down on the floor on the fallen blanket, and was listening to her cousin with a small smile on her face. Yeah, that sounds like mom.

"What do you think, nica? What did she mean by 'you and I would be fine'?"

Her cousin sighed, climbing up from the blanket. She could picture Sarah's furrowed brow, and her biting her bottom lip. "I dunno," she replied, "maybe she meant we'd survive life at a private school..." She got the reaction she was hoping for, as her cousin giggled. "Seriously, though, I don't know. I stopped questioning her dreams long ago, and just started having faith in them."

Sarah sighed, climbing off her bed, and walking over to her shelf to look at the picture of herself, her mom, Monica and Aunt Carmen. She said nothing, staring at her aunt until tears blurred her vision. At that exact moment, back in Boston, Monica was looking at that same photo. "I know, bear, I miss her too", she said softly, sensing her cousin's sadness.

"So tell me about Spencer," Monica asked, trying to lighten the mood. "Obviously, I already know Caleb, and you've told me about the boys and Kate, but you never told me why Kate left."

Sarah hesitated, not wanting to lie to her best friend, but knowing that it wasn't her place to divulge the boys' secret. "She wouldn't tell me the whole story, but she said there was something she couldn't deal with here, and that she had to leave. She didn't even tell me where she was going..." she broke off angrily. The last part was true, and it frustrated Sarah to no end. It had been almost three months since Kate had left, and nothing. Not one phone call, not one email, no smoke signals, nothing! She growled in frustration, running a hand through her blonde locks "Oh my god! I totally forgot to tell you! I cut my hair!"

"WHAT?!" came the shriek from the phone

"Yeah, I needed a change, so I cut it to just under my chin. I think it looks ok, and Caleb said he likes it, so I guess it works..." The was silence on the other end of the phone, and Sarah could picture her cousin, mouth agape, trying to find something to say

"...Well... I guess Caleb would know. I swear that boy is gay. No guy can look **that** good and be completely straight..."

Sarah laughed long and hard. She could always count on Monica to cheer her up.

Monica grinned. "Well, I'm buggered, and I've got a long day of packing ahead of me, so I'm going to have to say goodbye for now..."

Sarah let our a yawn, nodding into the phone "Yeah, me too. Not the packing part, but I'm pretty tired. Ok, pretty, well, I guess I'll see you in two days!!"

Monica laughed at her cousin's excitement "Yep! I'll see you Saturday morning. Goodnight, love."

"Sweet dreams," came the soft reply, followed by the click of the receiver.

Monica stripped off her shorts, and slipped under the covers. Leaning over to turn off the lamp, she looked at the picture her mother had taken of herself and Sarah at their spot. She smiled, kissing her index finger and touching her cousin's face. In a dark dormroom at Spencer Academy, her cousin did the exact same thing.

Saturday morning, Sarah woke with a smile on her face. Monica arrives today! She bounded out of bed, got ready for breakfast in record time, locked the door behind her and made her way to the dining hall. She spotted Caleb, Tyler, Reid and Piper and weaved through the tables, taking her seat next to her boyfriend, dropping a small kiss on his lips. 'Morning!' she sang, glancing at her watch. They stared at her, with the annoyance only an early morning can bring, as she tucked into her porridge.

She checked her watch twice more, before Reid commented. "What's the fascination with your watch, Wenham? It's not that nice..."

Caleb just grinned. He already knew why his girlfriend was so fidgety. He liked Monica. She had a calming presence, and he was amazed at how close she and Sarah were. They had a closer bond than even he had with the sons.

Sarah laughed and poked her tongue out at Reid. "Monica will be here soon and I want to make sure I'm out the front before she arrives..."

"Ohhhhh yeah", he drawled, "the cousin. So you still haven't told me- is she hot?" That earned him a shove in the ribs from his girlfriend beside him. "What? I was asking for baby boy," he frowned, rubbing his side.

Tyler just grinned at the pain his friend was in, "What makes you think I need your help?" Reid snorted and grinned at his best friend.

"Ok, I'm going. I don't care if I'm early, "Sarah said, pushing her chair back.

All but Reid rose to join her, and he looked up at Piper in confusion. "Wait, what? You're going too?"

"No, babe...**we're** going too," she replied, waving a finger between them, "We are not going to pike out on helping Sarah's cousin move in. Now get up!"

Reid glared at her climbing to his feet. "I can think of better things I'd rather be doing at this time of the morning," he mumbled as they made their way to the car park.

Piper wrapped her arm around his waist, snuggling into his side and smiled up at him. "I'll make it worth your while." He grinned down at her, planting a kiss on her cheek.

Caleb fell in beside Sarah, grabbing her hand. Partly out of habit, and partly to stop her from running to the gates.

She laughed up at him, knowing full well what he was doing. "I'm just excited, that's all. I can't believe she's going to school here... and living in the same room as me, no less!" She broke off with a squeal, as she spotted her cousin and her grandparents unloading bags and boxes from their car. "Nica!!" she cried running towards her.

Monica whipped around, searching for her cousin, and broke into a run as she saw Sarah flying towards her. They crashed together with an 'ooomph', holding tight. Sarah felt the tears welling in her eyes and as they broke apart with a grin, Monica was wiping her own tears from her cheeks. Sarah grabbed her cousin's face in both her hands, planting several kisses on her cheek before pulling her into another hug. Monica laughed and wrapped her arms around her cousin's back.

By the time they parted for the second time, the group had caught up with them, laughing at the exchange. "Hey Mon" Caleb smiled, wrapping her arms around her and lifting her off the ground.

"Hey yourself, big man," she replied grinning.

Sarah's arm snaked around her waist and turned to introduce her the rest of the group. "Ok," she began, pointing to the blonde "this is Reid," he gave her the quickest once over and she sensed that it was a force of habit, not a sleazy move. She smiled and shook the hand he offered.

"This is Piper," Sarah continued, pointing to the redhead, who smiled warmly and offered her own hand. Again, Monica smiled, and took the hand in a warm clasp.

"And this is Tyler," she finished, pointing to a brunette with stunning blue eyes. "Guys, this is Monica." He smiled a wide and held out his hand. She grinned back at him, taking his hand. "Pogue's not here at the moment, but you'll get to meet him tonight," Sarah commented, turning the both of them around, making their was back to their grandparents.

"Nana!" she cried, pulling the older woman into a hug, before moving on to the gentleman beside her "Hey, Grandpa, how are you?"

"Good, good," he replied. Caleb greeted the grandparents and made the introductions, as Monica returned to the tailgate to unload her bags. She was soon joined by the boys, and they easily divided most of her bags and boxes between them. Piper grabbed one of the remaining bags, grinned and rolled her eyes as the boys bickered over who had the heaviest.

She laughed, grabbing the last bag and made her way over to the grandparents to say her goodbyes. After a few tears, some stern warnings about how to behave in a private school and a promise to visit them as often as possible, Monica joined the group as they made their way into the imposing building.

She looked at their surroundings in awe. She had been enrolled at the same public school as Sarah, back in Boston, and Spencer Academy was like an entirely different dimension. It was very dark, very gothic, and you could almost feel the history of the building, emanating from the walls.

Sarah's saw the bewildered look on her cousin's face and grinning, remembering that exact same feeling. She led them down a long hallway, and stopped at a door roughly three quarters of the way down. She unlocked the door and flung it open with a dramatic "TA DAAAA!!!' Monica laughed, recognising the room a little from the times she had checked in on Sarah, but the real thing was gorgeous.

Dark wood adorned the walls and floor and desks had been built into the walls by the door. Bookcases, wardrobes and drawers lined the room and it had a homely feel. Two twin beds stood against the wall facing the door, with a small table and lamp between them. Monica could see the picture of her and Sarah under the lamp.

Sarah's side of the room was littered with books, movies, photographs, and she had set up a TV and dvd player on her desk. The other side of the room lay bare, just waiting to be lived in. Monica stood, respectfully, for a minute, trying to picture what it would have looked like before Kate left. She spared a glance at her cousin, who was laughing while they dropped the bags and boxes on Monica's side of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ok," Caleb rumbled, stretching out his back, "we'll leave you two here to unpack," He stooped to kiss Sarah, "and I'll stop past about, what, 6, to pick you up for Nicky's?" Sarah smiled, nodding her head.

"What's Nicky's?" Monica asked, crossing to the door to farewell her guests.

"Just a bar, not too far from here. Everyone goes there to play pool and dance and stuff. It's fun," he replied, leaning down to kiss her cheek and pulling her into a hug. "Welcome to Spencer, Mon," he smiled, walking out the door.

Reid and Tyler both dropped a kiss on her cheek as they passed her, walking out of the room. Piper gave her a kiss and hug, and pointed to the door across the hallway. "That's my room over there, Sarah has a spare key and you are more than welcome, any time you want." Monica smiled and hugged her again, before she shot down the hallway to catch up with Reid and Tyler.

"It was great to finally meet you guys!" she called out to them.

She shook her head, closing the door, and went to stand beside her cousin next to the bed. With a grin they both fell back onto the bed, laughing as they flopped around. Monica crossed her arms under her head, while Sarah lay on her side, facing her cousin. "So, what do you think so far?"

Monica looked over at her cousin, replying, "They're really nice. They are just like you described them!"

Sarah grinned, sitting up. "Yeah, Reid can get a little full-on, but he's nowhere near as bad as he was, since he met Piper, and Tyler is the most adorable thing! Not too hard on the eyes, either," she finished, wiggling her eyebrows at her cousin.

Monica laughed, getting off the bed. She couldn't deny that Tyler was attractive. He was. Very. But there had been no spark between them.

She turned, eyeing the boxes and bags strewn about the floor. "Ok, blondie, lets get rolling. There's a lot to unpack here!"

Sarah sighed dramatically and gave a laugh as she crossed to the box marked 'Books', and began piling them into Monica's bookcase. She knew there was no need to arrange them in any particular way. Nica somehow always knew exactly where something was, when she wanted it.

Monica had begun storing her clothes in the wardrobe and drawers, when she called over her shoulder, "So...Nicky's. Not a dressy place? Jeans and nice top do?"

"Yeah, perfect", Sarah called back, opening a new box.

Monica nodded, looking at each piece of clothing as she hung them in the wardrobe, and as she came across them, she tossed her dark blue jeans and a black V-neck singlet on her bed. 'They'll do' she thought as she started in on the second suitcase.

They had packed away almost everything, and were pulling the sheets and comforter on her bed, when Piper walked in a quick knock. "Hey, Pip', Sarah called, struggling with a corner of the sheet.

"Hey lovelies," came her reply as she grabbed the pillows from a chair and walked them over to the bed they belonged to. "Wow", she said, dropping the pillows, and gazing around the room, "This looks heaps better!" The bookcase was filled, photographs lined the shelves of Monica's desk and drawings, some framed, some not, lined the walls.

Piper walked slowly from drawing to drawing, stopping before a black & white one of an older lady. She was stunning. She had long wavy hair, almond shaped eyes and a wide, kind smile. She was looking back over her shoulder, at the artist, a gleam of something Piper couldn't describe in her eyes. She recognised the drawing. Not the woman, but the style. She looked over at Sarah, who smiled, having picked up on Piper's train of thought, and nodded to the picture hanging above her bed.

Piper gasped, spinning around to Monica. "Did you draw this? And that one?" Monica smiled and nodded, proud of her sketches. "Oh my god. They're fantastic! Who is this woman? She's beautiful..."

Monica smiled sadly, walking over to run her hand across the drawing. "It's my mom. I drew it about a month before she died. It was the last one I drew of her..."

"Oh," came Piper's soft reply as she dropped her eyes to the floor. "Sarah said she passed away just over a year ago..."

Monica nodded, moving back to the bed to straighten up the comforter. "Yeah. Heart attack."

"I'm so sorry," Piper said softly, running a hand through her hair.

"It's ok," Monica grinned at her.

Piper looked around wanting to change the subject. "So, have you decided what you're going to wear tonight?"

Monica nodded, pointing to the wardrobe door, on which she had hung the jeans and top.

"Ohhhhh," Piper cooed, running her fingers along the beaded neckline of the singlet, "this is really pretty!" She glanced down at her watch, noticing the time. "Shit! Better go get ready. Reid and Tyler will be here soon! You girls better go and shower or whatever, soon. Didn't Caleb say he'd pick you up around 6?" The girls looked at the clock and gasped, not realising how quickly the afternoon had gone.

They snatched up their towels and toiletries and made their way to the showers. After a quick wash and a rush dressing session, they were applying the last of their make-up when they heard a knock at the door. Sarah finished putting applying her lip gloss, smacking her lips together, and opened the door to a smiling Caleb.

He took in her denim skirt and tight pink top and his smile grew. He swept her into a hug, and planted a kiss on her mouth. She laughed smacking him on the shoulder, and set about re-applying her lip gloss as Monica walked out of their small bathroom.

"Hey Mon," he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek, "you look great!"

"Thanks," she smiled up at him, grabbing her jacket and bag from the bed and slipping her feet into black flip flops. Sarah grabber her purse and jacket from her desk and they stepped out into the cool hallway, locking the door behind them.

As they began walking down the corridor, Caleb heard someone call out to him. They turned to see Reid and Tyler walking down the hall to him, Piper locking her door. "Hey man," Tyler greeted Caleb, bumping fists with him. "I'm glad we caught you. I was thinking, instead of squashing Monica into the back of your tiny car, why doesn't she come with us in mine. There's plenty of room..." he broke off, looking at Monica with raised eyebrows.

She glanced at Sarah, who nodded, and looked back at Tyler with a smile. "Sure, that'd be great".

They set off for the parking lot, splitting up as Sarah and Caleb made their way to Caleb's car. Monica noted the size of the back seat and silently thanked Tyler for his suggestion. They stopped in front of a monster of a car and Monica couldn't help but gape at the enormous grill.

"What's wrong?" Tyler looked at her, worried.

"Good god, Tyler," she replied, not looking away from the car, "this thing looks like it could eat someone!"

They all laughed and climbed into the hummer, Reid shot-gunning the front seat, causing his girlfriend to roll her eyes. They chatted about this and that on the way to Nicky's, immediately putting Monica at ease. She could understand why Sarah liked them so much.

They pulled up out the front of the bar, and Monica liked the place on sight. Rustic but inviting, she could hear the rock music pumping dimly behind the closed doors. Once inside the door, liked it even more. To her left were four pool tables, only two of them currently occupied. In front of her was a bar that ran to her right, leading to some tables, a couple of foosball tables, a jukebox and a makeshift dance floor, where a large group was already dancing.

The boys steered them towards one of the empty pool tables, and Caleb asked what they wanted to drink and disappeared into the crowd at the bar. Monica was in the middle of a game with Reid, Tyler and Piper when she heard Sarah behind her. "Oh, Pogue, I'm glad your here, I want you to meet my cousin, Monica."

When she felt Sarah's hand on the small of her back, she turned with a smile on her face, ready to meet the last friend. When her deep green eyes met his sparkling hazel ones, she almost dropped her pool cue.

Oh...wow...


	3. Chapter 3

Sarah had thrown an arm around Monica's shoulders. "Monica, Pogue; Pogue, Monica".

He smiled as her held out his hand to her, and she felt her heart skip a beat. "It's nice to finally meet you. Sarah speaks highly of you."

She shook her head a little, trying to clear it, and slipped her hand into his huge one. She felt a shiver run down her back, and she returned his smile. "Thanks, you too. Sarah can't say enough about you guys."

He laughed, shrugging off his jacket, "Yeah, well, that's understandable. We **are** awesome..."

She grinned at his easy humour, as Tyler called her back to the game. As she concentrated on her shot, she kept picturing those hazel eyes and that smile. God, that smile! She blinked, trying to clear her head again, and drew her arm back, easily sending the black ball into the pocket. Reid groaned and dropped his head as Piper high-fived her team mate.

"Yes!" she cried, "That's the only time I've ever been on a team that had beaten Reid!" She clapped her hands and hopped around on the spot.

Tyler threw and arm around her shoulders, giving her a squeeze. "Congratulations, Mon, not only have you beaten Reid, but you also got Pip to do the weirdest dance I've ever seen!" Piper just smacked his shoulder and leaned over to give Reid a kiss.

"Hey, what's up guys," she heard Pogue move behind her, bumping fists with the boys.

They were chatting animatedly when a Def Leppard song began playing. Sarah pushed Caleb off her, and towards the guys, while grabbing at the girls' wrists. "Ok, you guys play the next game, while we ladies go and shake what we've got!" The boys had no problem agreeing to that and Sarah dragged Piper and Monica to the back of the bar, where a large crowd was already dancing.

Monica loved this song, and closed her eyes while she started moving to the music. They were dancing up against each other, spinning, ducking and laughing. **'Pour some sugar on me.....!',** she sang along while rocking her hips to the beat. Monica could feel a set of eyes on her, and spun around to see a blonde guy leaning up against the bar, watching her dance. He was cute, she surmised, with a hard jaw, wavy hair and bright blue eyes. He sent a grin her way and she smiled back, turning around to dance with the girls again.

Sarah grabbed her shoulders and turned her towards the pool table. She saw that the boys had abandoned their game and were leaning against the table watching them. She waved them over, and while Caleb and Reid came immediately, Tyler and Pogue hung back. She sighed dramatically and weaved through the other couples to stand in front of the boys. She grabbed their hands and tried to drag them, but she was nowhere near strong enough to budge them.

Pogue laughed down at her, "I don't dance!" and pushed Tyler toward her.

Tyler grinned, shrugging his shoulders while she grabbed his hand.

She mock-glared at Pogue before walking off, calling over her shoulder, "It's your loss!" He just grinned and made his way over to the bar to order a drink.

It turned out the Tyler was a decent dancer and they had a ball playing off each other. While they danced close, his hands on her hips, she never once felt uncomfortable. She felt at ease with Tyler, an inner sense letting her know she would be safe with him. They moved around the floor, him spinning and dipping her, her laughing uncontrollably, unaware of the glare she was receiving from the blonde at the bar. The glare, however, did not go unnoticed by Pogue. He had spotted them earlier, smiling at each other, and it seemed that Aaron was none to happy about Tyler taking the spotlight.

He continued to watch Aaron closely, waiting for him to make a move against Ty, but was surprised when he simply dropped his glass to the bar and walked angrily out the door. Pogue settled into a stool at the bar and watched the dancing between his friends. He had to admit, he felt the slightest twinge of jealousy at Tyler, his hands resting easily on Monica's hips while they rocked from side to side. It had been a long time since he had been blown away by a girl. Sure, he'd dated since Kate had left, but Monica had floored him.

When she had turned around, that smile on her face, he had almost forgotten to speak. She was short and when she raised her head, her deep green eyes had bore into his, and it was only at the last second that he remembered his manners and offered his hand to her. As he watched her dancing now, he blonde wavy hair falling halfway down her back, her hands on Tyler's shoulders and her laughing face on his, Pogue tensed a little, then scolded himself for it. Hey, if Ty could be happy, then who was he to stand in his way? He turned back to the bar, staring down at his drink, unaware of the knowing look Caleb had thrown his way.

Later, they had taken residence of one of the tables, and the boys were entertaining Monica with some of their childhood antics. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard. It was much later when they made their way out to the parking lot, ready to head back to their dorms. Sarah decided that since Caleb didn't live at the dorms, and would have to make a special trip, she would go home in the hummer. They said they goodbyes to Caleb and Pogue and Monica was climbing into the car, she could feel eyes on her.

She turned around and spotted Pogue watching her from his bike. He grinned and slipped his helmet on, revving the engine. She smiled and closed the door, watching him through the tinted window. He glanced at the road, making sure it was clear, then shot off into the darkness. She sighed quietly, and noticed Tyler smiling at her through the rear view mirror. She raised her eyebrows at him in silent question and he simply grinned wider, threw the car into gear and made for campus.

The ride home was quiet, everyone beginning to feel tired, and by the time they pulled into the student parking lot, Monica had succumbed to several jaw-wrenching yawns. The halls were eerie and Monica nixed the idea of going for a late shower. The boys walked the girls to their rooms, before heading upstairs to their floor. The girls said goodnight and separated the sound of the locks echoing down the corridor. As Sarah sat down at her desk removing her make-up, Monica changed into short shorts and a racerback singlet, and headed to their bathroom.

She washed her face in the sink and was brushing her teeth when Sarah called out from the bedroom. "So, Pogue, huh?"

Monica paused, mid-brush, leaning back from the sink to glare at her cousin. Sarah just grinned back at her and stripped, climbing under her comforter. "Yurw unbewevable, "came the frothy reply from the bathroom.

Sarah smiled as she heard her cousin rinse her mouth. "What? It's just something I picked up. At first I thought Tyler, but when I saw you and Pogue together, whoa! Talk about reaction overload!" Monica just rolled her eyes at Sarah as she passed the bed on the way to her own.

Stripping off her shorts, she climbed into bed, and lay on her side, facing her cousin. "I'm here one day, and already you're thinking about hook-ups! You're shocking!"

Sarah chuckled and turned to her side, facing Monica. "C'mon, nica, deny it, " she smiled as her cousin dropped her gaze. "I'm not going to push anything, I'm just letting you know that I wouldn't be completely against something happening with you and one of the Sons..."

Monica laughed, knowing the story behind the nickname. She blew a kiss at her cousin, and switched off the lamp, plunging the room into darkness. As she settled down against her pillows, an image of Pogue found it's way into her head, and she had to smile.

**

She dreamt of her mother that night. In her dream, it was a warm day, the sun biting into the skin on her back as she walked through the woods behind her grandparent's house. She strolled. She never rushed. There was never any need to. Not here. She paused in her stride, bent down to pluck a daisy from the path and tucked it into her hair behind her ear. As she neared the pond, she felt the calm enter her body, as it always did. She sat on the small patch of grass, her usual place, where she didn't have to reach far to touch the water.

Breathing deeply, she touched the tip of her finger to the still surface of the pond. The water rippled beautifully, and as it cleared, she could see fire everywhere. She could make out a barn and the silhouette of two people fighting. The next scene turned her heart to ice. Sarah was lying, no, **floating**, among the flames. She screamed, calling out to her cousin, and as she made to reach into the water, she was pulled back from behind.

She whirled around and found herself face to face with her mother. She wrapped her arms around her and sobbed into her shoulder, still calling out to Sarah. Her mother raised her hand, passing it over the water, and as the scene cleared, so did Monica's mind. Her mom held her close, stroking her hair, and in a soft voice, told her, "My love, you can not change what has happened, but instead use that knowledge to change what may happen. The future is not set in stone. It can be altered with a single beat of your heart. Trust in yourself and you will overcome the hardships that will most certainly come your way. Trust also in your cousin, she has great strength in her. Do not dispair, my love. You are never alone. I will always watch over you."

She woke with a gasp, her eyes slowly adjusting to her surroundings. She sat up, quickly looking towards her Sarah's bed, sighing with relief as she saw the slow rise and fall of her chest. She was sweating, and crossed o the bathroom to slash some cold water on her face. Closing the door, so not to disturb her cousin, she turned on the faucet, she studied her eyes with awe, never failing to be amazed by the transformation. As always, when she met with her mother in a dream, or used her craft in any way, her eyes became iridescent green. They shone like a cat's eyes and were utterly mesmerising. Slowly, as her breathing calmed, the colour of her eyes dimmed until they had resumed their normal, deep green shade. She sighed, splashing the cool, refreshing water on her face, making the decision to speak to Sarah about her dream later.

She could sense dawn breaking, knowing there was no way she was going to get any more sleep today, she crossed to her drawers, pulled out a singlet and sweatpants, and grabbing her runners, entered the bathroom again to get changed. Running always calmed her down, no matter what was going on in her life. She grabbed her hoodie of the back of the chair on her way to the door, and as quietly as she could, exited the building.

After stretching her legs, she set off down the stairs, and out the gates, veering off to the right, towards the woods that sat behind the school. She never felt scared about entering dark woods, even when she decided to go for late night walks. She had gown up with nature, and somehow sensed that they would never allow her to come to harm. She followed the trail, winding her way slowly up a hill, her hair billowing behind her. As her heart started to speed up, she could feel her mind becoming clearer, her senses sharper.

She could hear the wind as it rustled the leaves. She could hear the tiny sounds of the animals inhabiting the woods, scurrying out of her path. She could feel their eyes on her, not scared, but curious. She smiled, completely at peace and continued her way to the top of the hill in front of her. As she reached the apex, she spotted a clearing to her right, and the view from that clearing took her breath away. The sun was just beginning to show itself to the left of the school, throwing glimpses of brilliant colour here and there.

She looked down the school itself, noting how dark it looked compared to the breaking sun. How ominous. It was the kind of building that belonged in a really bad teen horror movie. She shook her head, laughing at herself, and began making her decent. She walked instead of running, and chose to stray from the path, making her way directly into the dense trees, wanting to lose herself in them. As she wandered, she ran her hands over branches, the trunks, the leaves, closing her eyes and letting her instinct guide her in the right direction. When she opened her eyes, she saw the school looming in front of her, and regretted having to leave the woods. Taking one more deep breath, drawing the scent of the woods into her, she sighed and began jogging back to her dorm.

She made it back to her room, just as Sarah was waking up. Together they hit the showers and were hunting through their clothes in search of something to wear, when Monica told her about her dream. Sarah had stopped mid-search, and was staring at her, wide eyed. "Wow... uh... I mean... how often do you have dreams like that?"

Monica sighed, sitting down on her bed, "Dreams of mom? All the time. Dreams of seeing something happen in the water, never! It was so strange. I've never felt so scared in my entire life! Do you have any idea why I would see that? With you floating in the fire?" She looked over at her cousin, catching a glimpse of her face just before she stuck her head in her wardrobe again. Monica could have sworn Sarah's face had gone deathly pale.

"Um, no...no... I have no idea what that could have been about..." came the muffled reply from the clothes. "Maybe you should just relax, and see if anything happens..."

Monica frowned at her cousin's evasive tone, but didn't want to push it any further. Sarah sometimes had the tiniest amount of trouble adjusting to Monica's rapidly maturing abilities. But still, something didn't sit right with Sarah's reaction, and Monica knew it was only a matter of time before she discovered the reason.


	4. Chapter 4

They had just finished getting ready when Piper knocked on the door, waiting to take them into town for supplies. The piled into her car, cranking up radio and sang their way to the shops. First stop was the supermarket, then some clothes stores, and when Piper and Sarah decided they wanted ice cream, Monica headed to the book store. She browsed the aisles, running her hand along the spines of the books, taking in the titles.

Every now and then she would pause, pick one up and either hold on to it or put it back. She was engrossed in the blurb of one she had decided to keep, walking with her head down when she ran into something solid. "Oh! I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going!" she just managed to keep a hold on her books, and looked up, surprised to see the blonde from the bar last night. "Oh hey," she smiled at him, "I really am sorry!"

"It's fine, really," he laughed down at her. "I'm Aaron," he said, holding out his hand.

She shifted her books to the one arm and shook his hand with her free one. "Monica.' She noticed the titles of the two books he was holding, and raised an eyebrow, looking down at them pointedly. He followed her line of sight, and blushed, tucking them under his arm and running a hand through his hair.

"My sister's birthday next week. I'm not sure which one she'd like..." he finished with a shrug.

Monica grinned, plucking Twilight from his arm. "If I were you, I would go with this one. She'll love it."

He nodded and tossed the other book onto the shelf. He motioned his head towards the exit, "You wanna grab a coffee or something?"

She smiled up as him, shaking her head and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "I can't. I'm still not finished here, and I'm meeting some friends after this."

He just gave her a tight smile, "Some other time" and left to pay for the book, not looking back as he exited the shop.

She frowned after him. He mustn't be used to being blown off. The big baby. She turned around to continue perusing and gave a small yelp when she almost stood on Tyler. "Jesus, Ty! Make a little noise next time, huh?!" she laughed up at him.

He grinned at her, before his pretty face dissolved into a frown. "I saw you talking to Aaron before." She nodded, stepping around him. "Look, I'm not going to try and tell you who you can and can't talk to, but just be careful. Aaron's a real prick." She sent him a sharp look, not realising that this sweet boy could have such malice in him. He just shrugged, "Consider yourself warned."

"Yes, daddy," she joked walking up to the register. He laughed, nudging her with his shoulder before offering his arm. She took it and together they wandered into the ice-cream shop to join their friends.

Tyler stuck with them that afternoon, only parting ways when they saw it was time to head back to the dorm. "Hey," he called out to them before jumping into his car, "Pizza and a dvd in our room tonight. You guys in?"

Piper and Monica nodded their heads, while Sarah shook hers. "I can't," she called back to him, "I'm having dinner at his house tonight."

"No worries. You girls drop past around 6, ok?" Again they nodded and climbed into the car.

Monica was sitting on her bed leaning against the headboard while her cousin stood in front of her, switching two dresses back and forth against her front. "The green one", Monica said, covering her mouth as she yawned.

"You rock!" Sarah cried as she ran into the bathroom to apply her make up.

Monica frowned after her, "I don't know why you're so worried, bear, you look hot in anything!" Sarah rolled her eyes as Monica glanced at her watch. She walked into the bathroom and dropped a kiss on her cousin's cheek. "Ok, I'm off. Have a nice night!"

"You too!" Sarah sang from the bathroom. Monica smiled as she closed the door, walking to the one adjacent and rapping her knuckles against the wood. Piper greeted her with a smile, before grabbing her hoodie from her desk and locking the door. They stopped in front of the boys' room just as Reid was walking down the hallway with the pizzas.

Piper dropped a kiss on his lips as Monica held the door open for them. Tyler was walking out of the bathroom and motioned for Reid to put the pizzas on his bed, and they all took a seat around them. Monica shook her head at the three mega-sized pizzas in front of her, "How many people you plan on feeding, Reid?"

He mock-glared at her, grabbing a slice of the peperoni. "Well, me and baby boy can knock off a large each, not to mention Pogue..." He heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name, and said person walked through the door at that moment.

They all looked up, calling out their 'hello's, as he shrugged off his jacket. He walked over, bumping fists with the boys and dropping a kiss on the girls' cheeks, before leaning over Monica, grabbing a slice of pizza. She caught a whiff of his aftershave mixed in with his own scent, and the result was electrifying. She had to bite her bottom lip to stop from commenting and making a fool of herself. He pulled up a desk chair and sat down between Tyler and Reid, glancing up at her, catching her eye and sending a little grin her way. She smirked back at him, and turned her attention to the argument between Piper and Reid as to what movie they were going to watch.

American Pie won out, much to Piper's dismay, she had been vying for Pride and Prejudice. Silly girl! Piper and Reid settled themselves in a double beanbag, while Tyler and Monica lay on the bed, their heads facing the TV and their feet facing the wall. Pogue sat at the other end, against the headboard to Monica's right, his legs stretched out, stopping at her hips. Halfway through the movie she could feel something tickle the underside of her foot. She snatched it away, turning to glare at Pogue, who pretended to be engrossed in the movie.

She sighed, turning back to the screen, and once again felt her foot being tickled. She kicked out a little, catching him on the hip, and he grabbed her ankle to stop her kicking him again. She laughed back at him, telling him to knock it off, and he simply grinned at her, but did as she said. As she settled down again, she felt Tyler nudge her slightly, and glanced over to see him smile knowingly at her. She shook her head, turning back towards the screen, trying to ignore the feeling of Pogue rubbing his thumb back and forth across her ankle.

At some point, during the movie, Pogue had slid down the headboard to a more comfortable position, and in doing so, his hand ran from her ankle, up her calf, coming to rest midway up her thigh. She couldn't suppress the shiver that ran down her body, and felt him give a little squeeze in response. The movie ended all too soon, and the boys said their goodbyes to the girls. Pogue stooped to drop a kiss on Piper's cheek, and when he dropped a kiss to Monica's, he also brought his hand up to her hip, giving it a little squeeze. Her eyes snapped to his and her grinned at her, before bumping fists with Reid and Tyler and heading down the corridor to exit the building.

She said goodnight to Piper at their doors and as she got ready for bed, she couldn't help but wonder what his full lips tasted like. She shook her head, annoyed at her girlish thoughts and climbed under the covers. She was vaguely aware of Sarah returning a couple of hours later and dropping a kiss to her forehead, before falling back into a dreamless sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

She woke with enough time to fit in a run before her first class, and she welcomed the cool breeze whipping at her legs while she steadily made her way through the woods behind the school. She wasn't nervous about her first day, as she would always have at least one of the group in her classes, sometimes two or three of them. She was, however, a little apprehensive about how she would be received, having come from a public school. Sarah had told her about the problems she had had, and Monica didn't want to make enemies on her first day. "Oh well,' she thought to herself, 'can't make people like me, so there's no point worrying about it!'

She was back at the dorms with plenty of time to get showered and grab breakfast before her first class. She made her way to the dining hall, and spotted the group already at one of the tables. Grabbing some fruit and an OJ, she weaved her way through the tables, dropping into the seat between Tyler and Reid. The all greeted her with smiles, and Tyler offered her some of his toast. She took a piece, while he swallowed a mouthful of her OJ, and turned her attention to Reid, who was telling her which teachers she would and wouldn't like. They laughed at his antics, drawing some annoyed stares from some of the occupants of the other tables, who were obviously not as awake as their group was.

When she questioned Tyler about the boys wet hair, he shrugged, taking another swallow of OJ. "Swim practice. We have it every morning at 5am. Speaking of, we have meets every Friday afternoon, which you will be attending…"

"Of course," she dipped her head while he continued,

"…and it is your obligation to the friendship of this group to cheer as loudly as you possibly can. No half-hearted attempts will be tolerated!" he finished with a mock glare, and she grinned, holding up her right hand.

"I swear I will give it my all."

The bell rang, signalling their need to make a move, she and fell into step with Sarah, Caleb and Reid for their first class. She tried to concentrate on what the teacher was saying, but it wasn't easy, sitting next to Reid. She kicked him countless times, and even resorted to sticking her finger in her ear, but nothing would deter the mischievous kid. It was only after his third warning from the teacher that he finally let up, sitting back in his chair and pouting like a four year old.

After class, Sarah hung with her while back while she collected her make-up work from the teacher, who felt the need to warn her against the perils of sitting next to Mr. Garwin. She successfully held back her grin, nodding her head with a straight face, only to ruin the effect by breaking into giggles with Sarah as they escaped into the hall.

She collected the books she would need next from her locker, and Sarah showed her to her next class. She was delighted to see Tyler leaning up against the wall, waiting for her to arrive.

He broke into a wide smile, waving to Sarah as she left them, and opened the classroom door with a flourish. "After you, m'lady!"

"Why thank you, kind sir, "she batted her eyelashes at him.

She was enjoying the class when she felt someone's eyes on her, and glanced around the room, stopping on Aaron's face. He smirked and winked at her, before leaning back and throwing his arm around the frizzy-haired girl next to him. '_Frizzy_' snuggled into his side, throwing a black glare in Monica's direction. Monica frowned, turning back to the teacher, while Tyler leant over her book to sneak a look at her notes. She tapped him on the head with her pen, laughing softly at his hurt expression.

They both had two free periods after this class and made their way to the library to study. She was engrossed in her work when Tyler sighed and raised his arms above his head, stretching out his back. He ginned at her as she looked in his direction. "Just so you know, Reid and Piper are planning to push us together..." She laughed and shook her head, as he continued. "They guys don't know about it yet, but I've actually been seeing someone for about a month and a half."

Monica nodded, having already guessed it for herself, "What's his name?"

Tyler's head whipped up so quickly she was sure he would have whiplash. His mouth opened and closed several times before he blushed and looked at the table. "...How did you know?" he asked in a small voice.

"Just sensed it. It happens some times," she reached over, laying her hand on his forearm. "Ty, you have nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about. Who you date does not change who you are."

He looked up from the table with such a lost look, it broke her heart and she reached over, pulling him into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his head into her neck. "I'm sorry," came his muffled voice, "I'm not normally a sap, it's just that I haven't told anyone yet, and it's so good to finally be able to talk to someone about it..." His grip tightened and she smiled, running her hand down the back of his head.

They drew apart, and she cupped his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. "Ty, you are a great guy. Anyone would be lucky to have you." He just gave her a small smile and settled back in his chair. She sat facing him, her chin resting on her palm and looked at him thoughtfully. "Why haven't you told the guys about this?" He snorted, raising an eyebrow at her. "Seriously, Ty, I think, after the initial shock, they would be fine with it! They love you, they would just want you to be happy..."

He shrugged, sending her a quick glance. "It's all new to me... I just don't have the guts to tell them yet..."

"Ok," she said, settling back into her seat, "Just remember that when you are ready to tell them, I'll be right there with you." He grinned at her, and she went back to her studies with a smile.

A little while later, Tyler broke the comfortable silence. "His name is Chris. He goes to school here..." her mouth dropped in shock and he laughed at her expression. "Actually, we're catching a movie tonight… you want to come? He's been 'out' longer than I have, and has been really supportive of my decision not to tell the guys just yet, but I think he'd be happy to finally meet one of my friends properly..."

"I'd love to come!" she beamed up at him.

He grinned at her, and glanced at his watch, realising that they had to make their way to their next classes. He hugged her before turning to walk the other way down the hall, and she was smiling to herself when she felt someone grab her elbow. She whipped around to see a panting Piper, and she laughed while handing over her water, and they made their way to Art class.

The rest of the day passed without incident, and she found herself almost bouncing in her chair, eager to meet the guy that was good enough for Tyler. She was grabbing her bag from her locker at the end of the day, when she was joined by Reid and Piper who voiced their invitation for pizza/dvd in the boys' room. She shook her head, explaining that she was going to the movies with Ty, watching the big smile make it's way across their faces. Shaking her head, she kissed them both goodbye, and made her way to her room to get changed.

She was just slipping her top over her head when she heard the knock at the door, and opened it to see a smiling Tyler. "Two minutes," she stated, hunting through her closet for her boots. "AHA!" she spotted them under Sarah's bed, and pulled them on, motioning for Tyler to grab her handbag. He held it out to her as she passed him, locking the door behind them, and slipped her arm through his. "Is he meeting us here or there?" She asked as they walked to the parking lot.

"There," he replied, opening her door for her, "he had dinner at his parents place and it didn't make sense for him to come all the way back here. He's really excited about meeting you."

She laughed, pulling her seatbelt on. "Me too. Want to make sure he's good enough for you!" He threw her a grin before putting the car into gear and heading towards town. Monica smiled to herself, as the scenery flashed by. She didn't think she was going to have anything to worry about.


	6. Chapter 6

Monica adored Chris. They met him out the front of the cinema, and she immediately recognised him from a couple of her classes. He shook her hand and repeated Tyler's comment, that he was excited to finally meet one of Ty's friends, and she loved that when he gave Tyler a hug hello, his hands were open, palm down on Ty's back, not fisted like most 'man-hugs'. She loved that he brought the caramel popcorn because Ty preferred it over salted, and she also loved the way they held hands in the dark cinema, the popcorn on Tyler's lap so everyone could reach it. Chris was smart, funny and gorgeous, and she understood what Tyler saw in him. She could feel the happiness radiating from Tyler, and his eyes lit up at her suggestion that she take the hummer home, while he rode with Chris. They said a quick goodbye in the car park knowing they would see each other tomorrow, Tyler promising to drop past and grab his keys when he returned.

She couldn't stop smiling on the way back to the dorms. She was so happy for Tyler; she only wished that he could tell the rest of the group. She could see how much he loved being with Chris, and it saddened her that he felt he had to hide it. She unlocked the door to her room, and seeing that Sarah wasn't back yet, she decided to take a shower. Grabbing her towel and toiletries, she made her way down communal showers. There were a couple of girls still in there, and she greeted them with a smile before taking a place in one of the stalls.

She was walking back to her dorm, her towel wrapped around her when she saw Ty walking up the hall towards her room. She greeted him with a smile, and he threw her a massive grin before picking her up and twirling her around. At the sound of her laughter, the door opposite her room opened and an annoyed Reid stood there, ready to yell at them, before his jaw dropped at the sight of a beaming Tyler holding a wet, near naked Monica against his body, with her arms wrapped around his neck.

They all looked at each other in shock, before Reid was joined at the door by Piper. She took in the scene before her, gasped, and dragged Reid back into the room, slamming the door behind them. Monica and Tyler looked at the closed door for a minute, then looked at each other, before bursting into laughter. He put her down, and she unlocked her door, pulling him inside.

They were still laughing as she exited the bathroom, now dressed in her shorts and singlet, imagining the conversations with their friends the next day. Ty was lying on top of the covers of her bed, turning on his side to face her as she gripped the comforter and slipped in beside him. The lay like that for a while, talking about the movie, Chris and Reid before Tyler asked about the reason for her transfer to Spencer. She told him about her mom passing away, about her losing her bearings for a while after the funeral, and about her grandparents deciding to send her here to be with Sarah. He asked about her mom and for the first time in a long time, she didn't feel empty while talking about her.

"Is that her?" he asked, pointing behind her. She nodded, turning onto her back to pick up the photo on the side table. "She's beautiful," he said softly and she smiled, running her finger over the glass. It was her favorite picture of her mom. It was just the two of them, her mom's chin resting on her shoulder, identical eyes and smiles beaming at the camera. Placing it back on the table, she turned to face him again, covering the yawn that fought its way out.

They talked about random things for a while, and before she knew it she was asleep. Tyler smiled down at her sleeping form and tucked her hair behind her ear. 'There's something about her', he though to himself, 'something I can't put my finger on...' He watched he sleep for a minute, before dropping a kiss to her forehead and making his way to the door. As he closed it behind him, he used a little to lock it, and trudged up the stairs to his own room. Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day.

She went for her morning run, pushing herself harder than the past couple of days, knowing that she was going to need to release her tension before meeting the group for breakfast. God only knows what Reid will have told everyone before she gets there. After returning to the dorms, she showered and headed for their usual table in the dining hall, grabbing some fruit and an OJ on the way. As she sat down, she could feel everyone's eyes on her, and she was glad Pogue hadn't turned up yet. Laughing inwardly, she looked up at her friends. They were trying to be discreet, well, all but Reid who raised an eyebrow and smirked between Monica and Tyler. Pogue arrived at that moment, slightly confused by his friend's behavior.

Their faces were slightly red from their efforts to keep themselves under control and Monica couldn't help but laugh. "Let it out....", she sighed and was bombarded with questions.

"How was the movie?"

'What's going on?"

"Are you and Tyler together?"

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"What happened when we left you naked in baby boys arms?"

Pogue's head shot up at the last comment, his eyes flashing to Monica's and for a second she could have sworn she saw annoyance there.

Tyler burst out laughing and Monica dropped her head into her hands. "First of all, Reid," came the mumbled reply, "I was not naked in Ty's arms... I was only semi-naked! And nothing is going on! We're just friends..."

All she heard were disbelieving statements as the bell for their first class rang. She sighed, sneaking a look at Tyler, who was trying to container his laughter, and gathered her books, heading into the hall. Pogue and Caleb joined her to make their way to class, but she refused to look up at their smirking faces. They climbed the stairs to take their seats somewhere towards the back of the room, with Pogue sitting between herself and Caleb.

As Caleb was busying himself with his books, Pogue leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Naked, huh?"

She blushed, rolling her eyes at him, and shook her head. "Half naked, thank you very much. I had a towel on!" she whispered back.

He grinned, making her blush even more, and as he sat back in his seat, she looked up in surprise as Chris took the seat next to her. "Oh hey!" she smiled up at him.

"Hey, yourself," he grinned back at her, and they chatted quietly amongst themselves for a few minutes before turning their attention to the teacher.

Pogue didn't know how she knew Chris Lyon, but from the intimate way they were leaning towards each other talking, it was clear that she liked him. He frowned down at his notebook, before glancing up at Caleb, who was looking equally confused as to how she knew this guy enough to be whispering to him. Caleb raised his eyebrows, looking over at Pogue who just shrugged his shoulders and stared straight ahead.

Class started then, but Pogue had a difficult time concentrating on what the teacher was saying. He was too busy trying to figure out when Monica had become friends with Chris. He may not have been the happiest guy about her and Tyler getting together, but he'd still run her through if she hurt baby boy. He needed to find out what was going on.


	7. Chapter 7

The day passed quickly and before long the girls were dumping their school books on their desks, contemplating what they were going to wear later to Nicky's. Sarah sat heavily on the end of her bed, rubbing her temples, a frown marring her pretty face.

Monica cocked her head to the side, regarding her cousin. 'Headache?" she asked. Sarah just nodded, not opening her eyes. "You want me to...?" she asked, rubbing her hands together.

Sarah looked up then, relief washing over her face, "Yeah...would you mind?"

Monica shook her head, slipping off her shoes and sitting on the bed behind Sarah. She held her palms together for a minute or so, concentrating her thoughts, then placed them on the crown of her cousin's head. She could feel Sarah relax, her breathing deepening, and moved her hands to her shoulders, one each side of her neck. She grinned when Sarah sighed, letting her head droop a little and Monica patted her back before standing up.

"Thank you so much, nica. God knows how many times you've saved me with that!" Sarah smiled up at her.

Monica just waved her hand, laughing, and made her way over to the closet to decide what she was going to wear.

She settled on a green halter, which complemented her eyes, and her old faithfuls- her dark denim jeans. While applying mascara, she glanced over at Sarah, who had given up searching through her closet, and was now raiding Monica's. She pulled out a pair of black jeans and a denim skirt, deliberating between the two. She raised her eyebrows at Monica, who shook her head, and walked over to pull out a black shirt-dress.

Sarah grinned, throwing the clothes back in the wardrobe, and stripped off her uniform before pulling the dress over her head. It got stuck halfway, and with a small cry she turned towards Monica, who shook her head and helped untangle her cousin. Laughing, she grabbed her bag and jacket, answering Sarah's question regarding footwear. As he cousin slipped on her flats, she opened the door to the hall, and held our Sarah's bag. Her cousin grinned at she stepped past her, knocking on Piper's door.

A flustered Piper answered the door in her skirt and bra, motioning for them to come in. She asked Monica to grab her flip flops from under her bed, while she grabbed a black tank from her drawer. She was slipping on her shoes and applying her lip gloss when they heard a knock at the door, and Sarah opened it to find a smiling blonde and brunette. They waited while Piper flew about her room throwing things into her bag, and laughed as she ran back into the room for the second time to grab something she had forgotten. Five minutes later they reached the hummer, Reid offering Monica 'spousal shot-gun'. She just smirked at him and climbed into the back seat, while Reid laughter rang out from the front.

Nicky's was pumping by the time they pulled up, and Monica smiled a little when she caught sight of the red bike parked next to Calebs's car. They spotted Caleb and Pogue at one of the tables, and after ordering some food from the bar, the five made their way over to join them. Monica kissed them both hello, blushing when Pogue winked up at her ('God, would she ever stop doing that?!). Their food was delivered and she kept having to swat Pogue and Tyler's hands away from her fries, eventually giving up and pushing them into the middle of the table. Piper and Sarah got up to dance, trying to convince Monica to join them, but she refused, preferring to head over to the pool tables to watch Reid and Tyler play Aaron and Bordy.

She sat on the unoccupied table next to the boys, only mildly surprised when Aaron leaned against the table, his hand resting against the side of her thigh. "So how's your first week at Spencer, so far?" he asked watching Reid rack up the balls.

"Pretty good, actually," she smiled over at him, not seeing any evidence of the prick Tyler had warned her about. They chatted pleasantly before the game started, and they made her the official 'winnings holder'. She slipped the $40 into her pocket for safe keeping and concentrated on the game being played, unaware of the fact that not only had Pogue moved closer to the tables himself, but that he scowled every time Aaron took a break next to her on the table.

She jumped a little and threw a surprised look at Pogue as he pulled himself up to sit beside her on the table. They grinned at each other before turning back to the game, cheering when Reid or Tyler aced a shot, and quietly booing when it was Aaron or Bordy. At one point Pogue leaned forward on the table, resting his weight against his hands and shot her a thoughtful look. "What's really going on between you and Ty?" he asked quietly, so as not to draw attention to their conversation.

She looked away from the game, giving him a small smile. "We're friends, that's all. There is nothing else to it, I promise." She could tell by the look on his face that he believed her, and she gave him a small nudge with her shoulder.

Across the table, Aaron was glaring at the exchange, a little put out by being upstaged by the long-haired pretty-boy. He was still annoyed when it was his shot, his lack of concentration causing him to lose the game. Bordy dropped his head, while Reid pat him on the back, and Aaron blocked Reid's way with the cue, as he made to collect the winnings. "Round two, double or nothing," he proposed angrily.

Reid looked to Tyler, who nodded his head and turned back to Aaron with a grin. "Your on, sucker."

They handed Monica more cash, which she stowed away with the rest, and set the table up again. During this time, Monica had spotted Chris walk through the door, and called out, waving him over. He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek, not missing the frown that graced Pogue's forehead. 'Oh, that is one unhappy boy right there', Chris thought, before spying his boyfriend at the table.

Monica introduced him to Pogue as Tyler walked up to greet him with a handshake. When Pogue asked how she knew Chris, she explained that she had met him while she was at the movies with Ty, and that they recognised him from school. She felt the need, for some reason, to add that she and Chris were just friends, and to her surprise, Pogue looked a little relieved. She shook her head and turned back to the game and Chris engaged Pogue in a conversation about bikes. They got along really well, and Monica was secretly thrilled, her mind formulating a plan to get Chris more involved in the group.

They were joined by Caleb, Sarah and Piper, and after introducing them to Chris, they watched a Reid and Tyler decimated Aaron and Bordy at the table. Aaron was furious, throwing his cue on the table and storming out, while Bordy, being a good sport, offered his hand to Reid and Tyler. Reid walked up to her, placing one hand on her thigh and holding the other out for the money, frowning when she only dropped $60 into his palm.

"Holding fee," she sang, waving the last $20 around, only to yelp as he squeezed her thigh and grabbed the cash from her fingers. She laughed and slapped him on the shoulder as he tried to duck away, giving half of the money to Tyler.

As they were leaving Nicky's, Monica looked up at Pogue and motioned towards the red Ducati. "Nice bike. How long have you had it?"

He grinned, shrugging on his jacket, "This one? Only a couple of months, but I've always had bikes. Just love the freedom." She nodded, buttoning her jacket as the cool air hit her exposed skin. 'You ever been on one?" he asked, as they made their way to the cars.

She shrugged and replied, "I've been on a dirt bike a couple of times, but nothing as powerful as that", pointing to the red machine.

He laughed at the expression on her face. "Then it's settled. I'm taking you back to the dorms."

"Ok" she grinned up at him, secretly thrilled at the idea.

They announced their plans to the group, who said their goodbyes and climbed into their respective cars. She caught Tyler's sly look as she headed to the bike, and poked her tongue out at him in response. As the cars made their way out of the lot, Pogue offered her his helmet. She knew it was the only on he had, so she refused, knowing that he would need the visor to see, and also preferring to feel the wind against her face. She trusted that Pogue wouldn't do anything stupid. He climbed on, revving the bike and helped her slip in behind him. Grabbing both her hands, he slipped them around his waist, making sure she had a safe hold. "Ready?" he called over his shoulder.

"You bet", she replied, laying her head against his back. He grinned, checked the road and released the brake. She smiled as she felt a rush run through her body as they sped off into the darkness.


	8. Chapter 8

Pogue took the scenic route home, speeding along the outskirts of town, and Monica couldn't understand why it had taken her so long to get on a road bike. The wind whipping around her body, the exhilaration of their speed, the freedom of the bike. She felt like she was flying, only grounded by the feeling of his warm body under her hands. "You ok back there?" he called over his shoulder.

"Yes!" she cried, "this is amazing!" He laughed at the glee in her voice, and revved the engine a little more. She grinned, holding tighter around his waist, and let her head fall back, her hair billowing behind her.

It was a little while later when the passing scenery slowed and he eased his way through the gates of the school. He pulled to a stop beside Ty's car, killing the engine, and she held on for a second, before unwrapping her arms from his waist and climbing off the bike. Running her hands through her hair, trying to tame the mess, she grinned up at him, eyes shining with happiness, her cheeks flushed.

He laughed down at her, as she gave up trying to fix her hair, and he reached forward to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "I like it," he said, eyes raking over her face, "it makes you look kind of... wild..."

She laughed, feeling wild. She hadn't wanted the ride to end. She could easily become addicted.

He sat his helmet on the bike, and began walking Monica back to her room. The halls were silent and all they could hear was the quiet thud of his boots against the floor. She stopped at her door, unlocking it as quietly as she could before turning back to Pogue. "Thanks so much for the ride, tonight. I loved it", she smiled.

He laughed softly, "I'll have to take you out again. Soon."

She grinned, nodding her head, and leaned up to place a kiss on his cheek. At the last second he turned his head, his lips capturing hers in a soft kiss. It only lasted a minute, and when he pulled away, her breath caught at the look in his eye.

"Night", he said softly, dropping another quick kiss on her mouth, before turning and walking down the hall. She watched him walk away, only breaking from her stupor when she heard the door close at the front of the building.

"'Night," she whispered, the silent hallway her only audience.

She entered the room, leaning against the door, her eyes slowly adjusting to the lack of light. Smiling, she locked the door and moved to the bathroom to remove her make-up, exiting to see her cousin sitting up on her elbows, a sleepy smile on her face. "How was the ride?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

Monica grinned, pulling her tank and shorts from the drawer, changing and slipping under the covers. Lying on her side, she faced her cousin, grateful for the darkness hiding her blush. "It was amazing," she replied with a small smile.

Sarah laughed at the awe in her voice and raised her eyebrow, "So...anything else happen?"

"He walked me back to the room and gave me a small kiss goodnight", she replied, shaking her head at the blush working it's way up her neck again.

Sarah let out a small squeal, and clapped her hands together like a little girl. "Don't get too excited over there, bear. It might be nothing. I'm not going to make a big deal out of it." And with that, she turned onto her back and settled into her pillows. She didn't realise Sarah was still watching her, and missed the small smile that graced her cousin's face as she raised her finger tips to her lips, before falling asleep.

She woke the sound of the rain pattering against their windows, and revelled in the knowledge that she could snuggle up in her warm bed for a little longer. She must have fallen back asleep and Sarah gently shook her awake about an hour later. They gathered their gear, took their showers and then made their way to the dining hall for breakfast. The met Tyler in the line, and the three of them found an empty table and waited for the rest of the group to arrive.

As she and Tyler shared their breakfast, it had become their custom, Caleb and Pogue walked through the door, grabbing some food and finding their way over to the table. She smiled her 'hellos' at them before blushing slightly as Pogue took the seat next to her. She could feel his thigh against hers and glanced over at him, to which he winked and sent her a small smile. Reid and Piper were not far behind them, and soon they were chatting about the swim meet in two days. The boys were looking forward to it, not necessarily nervous, and Tyler again made her promise to be there. They groaned at the sound of the bell, and filed out of the dining hall. Waving goodbye to the rest of the group, she and Piper made their way Art.

The rest of the week passed slowly, although her mountain of catch-up work was rapidly decreasing. She had yet to score another ride with Pogue, and she chided herself for feeling slightly disappointed. The boy had a meet coming up, he had better things to do with his time! Before she knew it, Friday had arrived, and as the last bell rang for the day, she sighed, glad the week was over. Tyler pushed her out of the classroom, towards her locker, reiterating the importance of her presence at the meet. She smacked his hands away, promising to be there, saying that she just needed to go and change, but she and the girls would see them after the meet. She pulled him into a big hug, for luck, then ran to catch up with Sarah as she made her way back to the room.

The meet was packed, but they managed to find some seats about six rows from the bottom. It was her first swim meet and she wasn't sure how she should act, while Piper and Sarah were buzzing, excited about their boys' competing, as Monica glanced around the crowd. She spotted Chris as he walked through the door, and waved him over to sit next to her. He placed a kiss on her cheek and greeted the girls with smiles, and they all chatted excitedly before the races started.

As the boys exited the change rooms, Monica almost fell off her chair. Their bathing suits consisted of nothing more of tiny little shorts, and she could help but stare at Pogue. She knew that he had a decent body under his clothes, but he never realised just _how decent_ it was! The four of them clapped and cheered, as 'their men' strolled to their allocated seats. The only race they were participating in today was the medley relay. The four of them cheered their way through the series of heats, before the boys stood and began stretching for the relay. Chris wrapped his arm around Monica's waist, giving it a tight squeeze, and she grinned, sensing how badly he ached to yell out to Tyler.

First up was Reid with backstroke, and as he settled himself in the water, he glanced up to where they were sitting, grinning as Piper cupped her hands around her mouth, yelling "C'mon, baby! Make me proud!" Sarah, Monica and Chris laughed at her, no trace of embarrassment on her face, only fierce pride. They jumped slightly at the crack of the starting gun, and began cheering as Reid made his way down the lane, leading by at least two head lengths. As he touched the wall at the other end and Tyler leapt into the water, Chris began clapping a little harder and Monica grinned at the wide smile on his face. They yelled as Ty's head bobbed up and down in the water, racing his way toward Pogue, who was poised, ready on the starting block.

Monica's heart began to beat a little faster as Tyler touched the wall. Pogue dove in, his powerful thighs propelling him a good length, before breaking the surface and kicking into butterfly stroke. Chris and the girls had risen to their feet, along with several people around them, and Monica was cheering as loudly as she could. He thought her heart would explode out of her chest, as Pogue touched the wall, sending Caleb off the blocks a full body length in front of their competition. The entire population of Spencer students at the meet stood in the stands, jumping, yelling and cheering as Caleb powered through the water. The roar was deafening as he touched the side, securing victory for their school.

Pogue and Reid had made their way back to the starting position of the pool, and were helping Tyler haul Caleb out of the water, hugging each other, before pumping their fists at the crowd. The Spencer crowd went berserk, while the supporters of the competing schools began to make their way out of the stands. After belting out the victory song, the crowd began to dissipate, and the four made their way to the poolside to congratulate the guys. Tyler was closest and Monica ran to him, leaping into his arms. He laughed and spun her around, before setting her on the ground, and turning to Chris for a quick hug. They embraced for a second before Sarah turned to congratulate him, and Chris busied himself by shaking the boys' hands.

Monica had finished congratulating Caleb and Reid, when she was spun around grabbed by Pogue. He had her by the waist, a good five or six inches off the ground, and she laughed wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Congratulations!" she cried," that was awesome!"

He grinned, dropping a quick kiss on her lips before burying his head in her neck. She blushed as he put her down, and she quickly looked around to see if anyone had noticed the exchange. Thank fully, they were all pre-occupied. Pogue stood behind her, his hand resting on her hip, as they made plans to get changed and meet in the car park, before heading to the party at the dells. The boys made their way into the change room, as Chris headed in the other direction to his dorm, and the girls practically skipped their way back to their rooms, each heart swollen with pride. Tonight was going to be a good night.


	9. Chapter 9

Piper had hauled a couple of outfits into the girls' room and was laying them out on Monica's bed, when Monica returned from the showers. They didn't have to meet the boys for another couple of hours, so they flicked on the stereo, cranked up the music and set about trying to curl Piper's hair. It took 50 minutes and almost half a can of hairspray, but they finally mastered it, her red curls bouncing softly on her shoulders. She was admiring her new look in the bathroom mirror while Sarah straightened her cousin's blonde locks. They laughed at Pip as she turned this way and that, trying her new style at different angles. Once she finished her cousin's hair, Sarah set about straightening her own, while Monica stood beside Piper at her bed, trying to pick an outfit.

Piper finally settled on denim shorts and Monica's black singlet, while Monica grabbed her black tank from the drawer and threw it on her bed with her green and white peasant skirt. While Monica made her way into the bathroom to apply her makeup, Sarah unplugged the straightener, and began rooting through her closet for something to wear. She pulled out her jeans and after hunting for a top, she gave up, sneaking a look in her cousin's closet and grabbing a red halter. She yelped as Monica threw a sock at her from the bathroom, and almost tripped over Piper, who was kneeling on the floor, looking for the earring she had dropped. Monica burst out laughing at the scene, smudging her mascara, which only made her laugh harder.

By the time they were all ready, they were running a little late, and as they slipped their feet into shoes, Sarah's phone began to ring. She grinned at them before answering it, her head ducking into her shoulders. "We're coming...I know, we're sorry...we will!" She growled at the phone, slipping into her bag, as she followed the other two out the door. The boys were waiting impatiently by the cars, clapping as the girls came into view. Piper mocked bowed and Monica curtsied, while Sarah rolled her eyes. They pilled into the hummer, Piper jumping into the front passenger seat with Reid, while Caleb, Pogue, Sarah and Monica squashed into the back. Not that either girl was complaining, mind you.

Monica felt a sense of peace as she snuggled into Pogue's side, his arm draped along the seat behind her. The drive to the dells was animated and long, and by the time they parked, darkness had descended on the woods. As they were winding their way through the tress, Monica's foot caught on a root and when she stumbled, Pogue's hand shot out grabbing hers and he pulled her close to his side.

"Careful,' he warned softly, and while she smiled up at him, inwardly she was frowning at her little accident. That had never happened before. She could walk blindfolded through the woods and not trip over anything. How strange.

She could hear he distant beat of music and she strained her neck around the group to find the source. As they hit the peak of the hill, she paused for a moment, halting Pogue in the process, and a wide smile spread across her face.

Before her, there was a dip in the sand dunes, and several bon fires had been lit. At the top of one of the dunes, a DJ had been set up, pumping music to the crowds of kids dancing below. At the far end, the dunes opened up to reveal the ocean, and the sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs was subtly constant behind every noise. Pogue laughed at the expression on her face, and gave her hand a little tug, spurring her into action once more. The descended the hill, hand in hand, aware of the stares they were receiving; Some curious, some jealous.

They caught up with the rest of the group and soon all but Caleb and Pogue were up dancing. They sat against a tree stump, watching the others move around, laughing as Reid to dirty dance with each of the girls. Caleb crossed his arms over his chest, watching his girlfriend, and leaned towards Pogue slightly. "So, what's going on between you and Monica?" he asked quietly, knowing that Pogue wasn't a fan of airing his feelings in public.

Pogue shifted, stuffing his hands in his pockets, and looked over to Caleb with a shrug. "I don't know, man. I like her... a lot... but I don't want to rush into anything, you know?"

Caleb nodded, shifting his eyes to the long haired blonde, "She's different..."

Pogue's eyes snapped to his brother. "You've felt it too? I though maybe it was just me. There's something about her. It's like some calm vibe she gives off. Whenever I'm near her, I feel... I dunno... at peace, I guess..." he broke off with a shrug.

Caleb grinned, glancing at Pogue, "I felt it the first time I was introduced to her. I asked Sarah about it and she just put it down to her aura. You know, the 'feelings one projects'..." he laughed, "But I don't know if I buy it. I think there's something special about her. I just can't put my finger on it..."

Pogue agreed, running a hand through his hair. They were joined by the others at that moment, and for the next couple of hours they had fun, drinking (except Tyler who was driving), laughing and dancing. They even managed to get Pogue up to dance! They had broken off into small groups when Tyler noticed that Monica was missing. He asked Sarah, who said she saw her walk off toward the beach, and set off after her.

He couldn't see her along the shoreline, so he began climbing a hill close by to get a better look. As he reached the top, he spotted her sitting cross-legged in a small clearing. He started to make his way towards her when he spotted a pack of coyotes huddled about a metre away from her. Their heads were low, watching her and she stared straight back at them. He was about to use, and scare them off, when she did the damnedest thing.

She held out her hand to them...


	10. Chapter 10

She raised her arm a little, holding her hand out, palm up. The lead dog raised his head, sniffing the air for a moment, and took a few slow steps towards her. He leaned forward, sniffing her hand, before nuzzling his head in her palm. Sensing no danger, the coyote crouched down in front of her, a sign for the pack to follow, their eyes shining. They all crouched before Monica, watching her intently, and Tyler couldn't suppress the gasp that escaped him, as she rubbed her hands against their faces. As one, the pack snapped their heads around to Tyler, as did Monica, and in a fluid motion, they rose and fled into the woods. He walked slowly towards her, mouth agape, noticing how bright her eyes looked. 'It must be the moonlight reflecting off them', he thought to himself.

Monica had turned to watch the animals flee, and when she looked back to Tyler, her eyes wide, they had returned to their normal color. Her heart had begun racing when she saw that Tyler had seen the whole thing, her mind failing to formulate a plausible excuse. "Weird, huh?" she asked, standing up and brushing the dirt from her skirt.

"What the hell was that?!" he asked, frowning down at her.

She looked towards the woods, shaking her head, trying to inject some honesty into her answer. "I don't know," she replied, looking back at him, "I was just sitting here when they approached me..."

Tyler's frown deepened. "Wild coyotes don't just wander up to people, Monica."

"I guess they sensed that I wouldn't hurt them. I don't know what to tell you, Tyler", she shrugged, upset that he was pushing.

He ran a hand through his hair, sorry for obviously upsetting her. She had just experienced the most amazing thing he had ever seen, and here he was giving her the third degree. He pulled her into a hug, apologising for being a jerk, and she grinned up at him, her eyes still shining a little from what happened. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, hers going around his waist, and they climbed back down the hill, strolling along the beach before re-joining their friends at the dunes. When they got there, Monica potted Chris talking to Pogue and Caleb, and nudged Tyler, pointing secretly. His gaze followed her finger, his face breaking into a smile as he spotted his boyfriend.

She greeted him with a hug, Tyler a handshake, and then excused herself to get a drink. She had just replaced the lid on the icebox when she felt familiar arms wrap around her from behind. Pogue grinned down at her, his eyes alight from the flicker of the fire. She smiled up at him, offering him her drink, and grabbed another before he led them to a small patch of grass to sit, away from the noise. He pulled his legs up, resting his forearms on his knees, while she crossed hers under her.

They sat in companionable silence for a while, just enjoying each other's company before Piper trudged over to them, holding her camera. "Smile, guys, I need new photos for my board!" she laughed.

Pogue wrapped his arm around her waist, and she looped hers over his knee as they smiled at Pip. They were momentarily blinded by the flash and laughed as Piper almost tripped over people while making her way back the crowd. Neither of them seemed to be in any hurry to alter their current sitting positions, and she smiled when she felt him rest his chin on her shoulder.

She could smell his scent again, his aftershave blended in with a male-ness that was just...well...Pogue. Her heart began to beat faster, as she felt his hand move from her waist to the top of her thigh, his thumb lightly caressing back and forth. She didn't know if it was the alcohol that did it or just his nearness, but she put her drink on the ground, and turned on her knees to face him. His left hand was now sitting on the top of her thigh, and her gave it a little squeeze, smiling, encouraging the leap she was about to take. So she leapt. She brought a hand up the side of his face and leaned forward to press her mouth against his.

Slowly at first, tasting his lips, nibbling at them until he opened his mouth, and then he took over. His right hand came up to cup the back of her head as he deepened the kiss. They broke away, gasping for air, only to have him throw his drink to the side, and pull her across his legs so that she was straddling him. His hands wrapped around her waist, while one of hers found his shoulder and the other entangled itself in the hair at the back of his neck. They lost themselves in each other for long minutes at a time, his hand tracing lazy patterns across her back, hers under his open jacket, exploring the muscled expanse of his t-shirt.

Under their closed lids, the darkness was momentarily lit up, and they broke apart upon hearing the whooping and clapping behind her. Pogue groaned, dropping his head to her shoulder, while she just laughed over her shoulder at their friends. Piper was bringing her camera down from her face and Sarah was hiding her face behind her hand, while the rest of them were openly smiling at them. She made to move off of Pogue's legs, but instead she found herself sitting in front of him, his legs pulled up on either side of her body. She grinned as he draped his arms around her upper arms, his elbows resting on his knees, and Piper viewed the moment as another photo opportunity.

While the others made their way back to have a dance, Ty and Chris took a seat on either side of the couple. They laughed at the antics going on in front of them, and chatted about mundane things, until a slightly intoxicated Piper ran over to snap more pictures. There were nice ones, funny-faced ones, ones of her lying all over the others, ones of Monica kissing Tyler, ones of Pip and Mon kissing Pogue's cheeks, so many poses that by the end of it Monica's face hurt from smiling, and her stomach hurt from laughing.

Reid and Sarah rounded them all up, forcing them back to the party, where there was more dancing, more drinking, a lot more photos taken and just a lot of your normal, everyday, young-adult fun. It was close to 3am when they decided it was time to leave, even though the party was still going strong. Pogue wrapped an arm around her as they walked back to the car, and she sighed contentedly, leaning into him. After saying goodbye to Chris they piled into the car again and made for Caleb's house to drop off he and Pogue. Once they reached their destination, Pogue pulled her in for a lingering kiss, and shook his head at Reid's wisecrack, slapping him across the back of the head as he climbed out of the car.

They left Tyler at the stairs, as Reid was spending the night at Piper's, and made their way through the eerie halls to their rooms, saying goodnight at their doors. Piper had removed her makeup, changed into her shorts and tank, and was brushing her teeth as Sarah sat down to clean her face. "So... interesting night, huh?" she grinned at her cousin, receiving a frothy smile in response.

After rinsing her teeth, Monica crossed to her bed, climbing under the covers. "I really like him, bear. I can't explain it, but he makes me feel...I don't know...safe...?" she tried to explain with a frown.

Sarah smiled, changing into her pj's and pulling her hair into a ponytail. "I get it, nica, I have that same feeling with Caleb. Pogue's a great guy, I'm glad you chose him," she finished, climbing into bed.

They lay there talking for a while, and they both jumped at a soft rapping on the door. They looked at each other before Sarah got up, baseball bat in hand, and opened the door a crack. With a laugh, she opened it all the way, leaning the bat against the wall, as Tyler walked in, hair ruffled, wearing a hoodie over his sweatpants and wifebeater.

He paused in the doorway, running a tired hand through his hair, as Sarah climbed back into bed. He looked at them sheepishly, before clearing his throat. "Um, Piper's roommate had company, so Reid brought her back to our room. Would you mind if I crashed here tonight?"

The girls broke into a fit of giggles as Monica threw her covers back, patting the bed beside her. Tyler laughed too, closing and locking the door behind him. He stripped off his hoodie and sweats, standing there in his boxer-briefs and beater, and for a second Monica couldn't help but admire the view. He climbed in beside her, pulling the covers up, and drew her to his side. She welcomed the opportunity to snuggle, and placed a small kiss on his cheek before sleep claimed the three of them.

_****This is only my second attempt at fanfiction, so I hope I'm not letting you down with my storytelling. I hope you'r enjoying the story as much as I am! Xoxo**_

_**.**_


	11. Chapter 11

Sarah was woken by a pounding on their door, early Saturday morning. She glanced at the alarm clock, squinting to read the numbers and groaning when she saw that they read 7:08. As quietly as she could, so as not to disturb the others, she crept to the door and flung it open with an angry glare. The smirk on Reid's face vanished and he took a small step back, a little frightened by the force of the glare from Sarah.

He gave a small grin and shrugged his shoulders when she cocked her head, waiting for him to begin. "Um... have you seen Ty? He disappeared last night when I brought Pip home, and I haven't seen him since..."

Sarah sighed and open the door a little more, so Reid could see a little further into the room. She could have laughed at his expression. His jaw almost hit the floor and his mouth opened and closed like a goldfish at the scene in front of him. Monica was lying on her right side, the blankets scrunched around her waist. A waist at that had an arm draped over it. An arm that belonged to Tyler. Tyler Simms, who was spooned against Monica's back. Reid gasped and tried to walk into the room, but Sarah blocked his way and pushed him back into the hall.

"What the hell?!" Reid hissed, throwing an accusing look at her.

She sighed, running a hand through her hair and replied, "Its nothing, Reid. Tyler came here last night, and obviously there is no third bed in this room, so he jumped in with Monica..."

"It'd better be nothing, blondie. Why did he have to share with Mon? Why couldn't you have shared together and Ty could've had a bed to himself? Pogue is going to kill him! How could you let this happen?" he stared at her angrily.

"I promise you, _blondie,_ nothing is going on. It's completely innocent. Monica really likes Pogue, she wouldn't jeopardise that!" she hissed at him, crossing her arms against her chest.

Reid let out a deep breath, and crossed his arms, mimicking Sarah. "Fine. I'm not happy about this, though", he began to walk off, but spun around as he remembered what he came here to tell them. "Oh, we're all meeting up for breakfast at 'Joe's ' at 9 if you want to come..." He smiled at her, having run out of steam, and she couldn't help but grin back at him.

"We'll be ready", was her only reply as she closed the door again. Shaking her head, she slipped back under her warm covers, reaching over to set the alarm for 8:15. With a long yawn, she looked over and grinned at the couple sleeping in the next bed. If only they knew about the storm they had unwittingly created this morning.

A soft 'beep, beep, beep, beep' interrupted Monica's sleep, and she gradually woke to a groan behind her, an arm tightening against her wait, and a face nuzzling into the back of her hair. She frowned at first, but quickly remembered that Tyler had spent the night in her bed. She opened to her eyes, yawning, just as Sarah was reaching over to turn off the alarm. "Dude, seriously", she began groggily, "who the hell sets an alarm on a Saturday morning?"

Sarah grinned at her, sitting up in her bed, rubbing her eyes. "Reid stopped past earlier to let us know that we're all going out fro breakfast at nine. I wanted plenty of time to wake up".

Monica nodded, as Tyler groaned and rolled onto his back, and she sat up, running her hands through her hair. "Wait! Reid was here this morning?" Sarah nodded, a small grin playing against her mouth. "Did he...? Did he see Tyler here?" she asked, biting her bottom lip.

"Oh yeah," Sarah smirked, "you've created quite the controversy in his mind!"

Tyler laughed silently beside her, causing the whole bed to shake. She smacked him on the stomach. "This isn't funny Tyler! You know how much of a drama queen he is! He's probably going to tell Pogue that he walked in on us goin' for it!" she finished with groan, dropping her head into her hands.

Sarah threw off her covers, and walked over to her wardrobe, shaking her head. "I explained the situation to him, and assured him that nothing was going on, but still, you might want to give Pogue a heads up before Reid blurts out something inappropriate at breakfast."

Monica sighed, climbing from the bed and making her way into the bathroom. She was brushing her teeth as Ty walked in, wearing his sweatpants, and hugged her from behind, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks for letting me crash last night. I really appreciate it".

She ginned at him through the mirror, and patted his hands with her free one. He wandered back into the room, grabbing his hoodie from the chair, and called out "We'll come past and pick you guys up about 8:45?" Monica gave him the thumbs up from the bathroom and a muffled "mmhmm" emerged from the closet. He grinned, and shut the door behind him, making his way back to his room.

Reid pounced on him as he walked through the door. "What they hell were you thinking, baby boy? Pogue's gonna shit a brick when he finds out! It's obvious that he likes her, and here you are sleeping with her! Bro's before ho's, dude. Bro's before ho's!"

Tyler, a little irked by the accusation, pushed past his best friend, not even soothed by the apologetic smile Piper was sending him. He snatched up his towel and bag, before turning back towards the door. Reid grabbed his arm, halting his progress, and Tyler turned on him with a scowl. "I'm not an idiot, Reid! I know what's going on between Mon and Pogue! I was probably the first one to notice it! There's nothing going on between me and her. How many times to you have to be told?! She's a friend. A really good friend, and nothing more than that. Trust me, I'm not even remotely interested in her!"

He walked out, slamming the door behind him, leaving a startled Reid in his wake. He'd never seen Tyler so angry. What the hell was going on?!

Outside in the hall, Tyler was furious. Storming towards the showers, he ran a hand through his hair and sighed. It would be so much easier if they knew- he wouldn't have to explain himself. He was angry with Reid, but more so, he was angry with himself. What did it say about him, if he couldn't even tell his best friend about the most important revelation he'd ever had?

Meanwhile, the girls were making their way back to their room after a shower, as Piper was walking back to hers. She gave them a tight smile, telling them she'd be over in five minutes, and closed the door behind her. Monica and Sarah shrugged, walking into their room and set about finding something to wear. Monica was throwing her jeans and black tank on her bed when Piper walked in and plonked down on Sarah's bed with a sigh. Sarah poked her head out of the bathroom, her mouth full of toothpaste, and raised her eyebrow in question.

"Something's going on with Tyler," she started, not noticing the tightening of Monica's shoulders. "Granted, Reid went a little overboard about what he saw this morning, but Ty flipped out on him. I've never seen him get so angry, _so quickly_, especially not at Reid. I think something's wrong...I don't know..." she broke off, looking at Monica.

Monica just shrugged, stripping off her shorts and pulling her jeans on. "I don't know. I haven't known him as long as you guys have. I wouldn't really know if he was acting differently". Piper nodded and rose to hunt through the girl's closets. Sarah walked out of the bathroom and joined her, and soon they were all dressed and ready to go, just waiting on the guys.

At that minute, the boys were walking down the hall towards the girl's room. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier, man. I didn't mean to freak out on you, it's just...you know how protective Pogue gets about his women..." Ty allowed a small grin, enough for Reid to breathe a sigh of relief. He threw his arm around Tyler's shoulder and tapped on the door before darting into the room.

He came to an abrupt halt, his hope of finding all three girls in their underwear not coming to fruition, as they were all fully clothed, watching TV. He sighed, walking over to his girlfriend and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder. She shrieked, and began beating his back, but her pleas went ignored as Reid strolled out of the room and down the hall.

Sarah followed them laughing as Tyler hung back, waiting for Monica to grab her cardigan and lock the door. She wound her arm through his and they walked slowly down the hall. "You ok?" she asked, looking up into his face. "Piper was worried about you this morning. Something about you blowing up at Reid."

He sighed, pulling her arm closer to his body. "Things would just be easier if they knew. I wouldn't have to explain myself. I just...I just wish I had the guts to tell them! I hate having to hide being with Chris. I guess it's just building up inside of me and it kinda blew over at Reid this morning..."

"Do you think you could tell them yet?" she asked, her eyes not straying from the path they were walking on. She felt him shrug and her heart went out to him.

They caught up with the others at Tyler's car, and piled into it, Reid being smart enough not to offer Monica 'spousal shot-gun' again. Reid began relaying his hilarious dream from the night before, and soon they were all in stiches. Even Tyler couldn't keep a straight face. The ride to Joe's Diner took them through the older area of Ipswich, and Monica fell in love with the scenery. Her artists' eye could visualise several canvases and she promised herself that she would come back out here, with her sketchbook. In the distance, she could just make out the top of a barn, and for some reason, it gave her an uneasy feeling. Shaking her head, she chided herself for her silliness, and returned her concentration back to the antics of the car.


	12. Chapter 12

They were climbing out of the car when Pogue pulled up on his bike, and Monica waited for him while the rest went to meet Caleb inside. She stood on the edge of the curb with her hands in her pockets and a smile on her face, and he climbed off the bike and walked over to stand in front of her, staying on the road. Even though the curb was a good four inches off the ground, she still had to tilt her head back to look at him. He gripped his helmet in one hand, while the other wrapped around her waist. He pulled her off her feet planting a swift, hard kiss on her mouth, and leaving her a little breathless.

She wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss, sighing when they broke apart. He began to walk towards the diner, still holding her and she giggled, telling him to put her down. He just grinned down at her and tightened his grip, making her laugh harder; keeping her arm around his neck, so she wouldn't slip to the side. He was almost to the door when she remembered what Piper had said. "Oh, Reid's probably going to make some smartass comment about it, so I thought I'd let you know first. Tyler crashed with us last night, and shared with me...I hope your ok with that..."

He had stopped walking and had cocked his head to the side a little, looking down at her thoughtfully. He had to grin at the smile she was beaming up at him, and he laughed, dropping another kiss on her mouth. "Of course I'm cool with it. I trust both of you". He finally set her down as they entered the dinner, and smiling, they made their way to join their friends.

After a hearty breakfast, which included some of _the_ best french toast Monica had ever tasted, the boys pulled out their wallets, refusing to let the girls pay. They made their way outside while Caleb settled the bill, going over their plans for the day. Reid, Piper and Tyler were heading into Boston to catch up with some friends, while Caleb and Sarah were going to visit his mother. As Caleb rejoined the group, Pogue quietly asked Monica if she wanted to go for a ride. She nodded, a wide smile making it's way across her face. She had been hanging for another ride on the beast.

As the others split up and began to make their way to their respective cars, she headed in the other direction with Pogue. They must have assumed she was going to spend the day with him anyway, because no one said a word.

He offered her his helmet, which she again refused. As they guys were leaving, Tyler pulled up behind them, Piper handing her jacket out to Monica. "You'll get cold, and that cardi will be no help, whatsoever!"

Monica laughed, grabbing the jacket, and leant up to drop a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks babe!" she called, as they drove off. Pogue had already climbed onto the bike by the time she had zipped up the jacket, and as she slid in behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, he reached down and tucked them up under his jacket.

They'll get cold," he told her over his shoulder.

She nodded, and held on tighter, as he checked the road, then sped off in the opposite direction to which they arrived. As they sped through the outskirts of town, heading deeper into the countryside, Monica couldn't help but smile. She could feel the wind lapping at her body, the gorgeous landscape whipping by and she was snuggled into the most beautiful guy she had ever seen. Life just didn't get any better than this. They rode for about 2 hours, taking in the long stretches of road, the lazy bends, the tree crowded back roads. At one point, she had moved her arms from Pogue's stomach to his hips, before letting go altogether. She felt a rush as she stretched her arms out to her sides, her head falling back, her hair billowing behind her.

Unbeknown to her, Pogue's eyes kept flicking from the road, to her image in the side mirrors. He was grinning at her guts, secretly proud that she wasn't afraid of the bike. Kate had hated the bike, and always refused to get on it. If he were taking her on a date, he would have to borrow one of the cars from home. Monica didn't hate the bike- she loved it almost as much as he did, and he loved that fact. At that moment, she brought her head forward a bit, and he caught a glimpse of her eyes. He gasped, and almost turned around. He could have sworn they were bright green; almost neon! When he looked back again, she had wrapped her arms around his waist and was leaning against his back. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Must have been the sunlight...

They were winding their way up a huge hill, when they stopped at a little cafe nestled in the woods and Monica climbed off the bike, welcoming the opportunity to stretch her back and legs. She grinned as he picked up her, mid-stretch, planting a long kiss on her mouth. She sighed, bringing her arms up around his neck, and adjusted her stance as he moved back to lean against the bike. They broke away from the heated kiss, not wanting to be arrested for indecent public behaviour, but stayed in that position for a while longer, content with the contact. With a swift kiss he rose, pulling her with him, and made his way to the entrance of the cafe. As they walked through the door, the few people occupying the tables looked up briefly before continuing on with their conversations.

As she was sliding into the booth, she heard a shriek behind her and looked up in time to see a heavy-set woman engulf Pogue. He let out a loud laugh and wrapped his arms around her the best he could. "Oh my lord, Pogue! What are you doin' here? Why has it taken you so long to come and visit? Who's this gorgeous creature? How's school? MURRAY, GET YOUR BUTT OUT 'ERE NOW, POGUE'S HERE! How's your mom? And your dad?"

He cut her off with a laugh and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, turning her to face Monica who had watched the exchange with amusement. "Della, this is Monica, Monica, this is my Aunt Della."

Della grabbed the hand Monica offered, pumping it up and down. "It's so good to meet you! Aren't you just the prettiest thing?! Pogue, isn't she gorgeous??"

He voiced his agreement and she blushed deeply, returning her gaze to Della. "It's lovely to meet you too. You have a beautiful place here" she smiled up at the older woman.

She must have said the right thing, for Della beamed and reached out to pat her face. At that moment they were joined by a tall man, who looked suspiciously like Pogue. Her thoughts were confirmed a minute later, as Pogue greeted the man with a hug and turned to introduce him to Monica. "Uncle Murray this is Monica. Mon, my dad's brother, Murray."

"Lovely to meet you," she smiled up at him, clasping his hand.

He returned her sentiments before turning back to Pogue to ask about his family. Della bustled over with a couple of menus, informing Monica that they were to order anything they wanted, on the house. Monica thanked her, as Pogue took his place beside her in the booth. He slung his arm across the back of the seat, dipping his head to her ear. "I'm sorry about that. I haven't seen them in a while, and they get a little excited to see me. I hope you don't mind that I brought you here..."

She shook her head, tucking her hair behind her ear and beamed up at him. "I don't mind at all. They're lovely!"

He smiled at her before kissing her quickly and sliding his menu to the end of the table. "Don't need that, I already know what I'm having. D makes the best burgers in the world." She followed his lead, trusting his tastebuds and slid her menu to join his. He called out their order to Della, who looked delighted with their choice, and she hurried into the kitchen.

A little while later, Pogue excused himself to the bathroom, just as Della brought their plates out. She took Pogue's absence as a chance to have a chat with Monica. She squeezed her frame into the seat opposite, and folded her hands on the table in front of her. Monica simply looked at her, no fear or apprehension in her eyes, and Della liked that. She liked that a lot. "Now, honey, I don't want to scare you off or anything, but as Murray and I couldn't have children on our own, that boy is the light of my life. I love him with all my heart and I will not sit by and see him get hurt again. Do you understand where I'm coming from, baby?"

Monica smiled and nodded. "I completely understand, Della, but you can rest easy. I promise that I have no intention of hurting Pogue. I couldn't even imagine it. He's... amazing" she finished, with a small look of wonder in her eye, and Della beamed her approval.

"Now that's good to hear, sugar. I imagine he feels much the same way about you," Monica tilted her head to the side in silent question. "He's never brought anyone up here before. Never." Della finished with a smile, huffing her way out of the booth as Pogue returned to the table. "Enjoy your meal, kids. Let me know if you need anything else" she called over her shoulder as she returned to the kitchen.

"She warned you didn't she? Pogue asked with a chuckle as he laid into his hamburger.

Monica laughed as picked hers up, wondering how she was going to finish the enormous thing. "Yup. But I assured her that she has nothing to worry about, and I think she was satisfied." She looked up at him, as he was grinning down at her, and he leant and pressed his lips to hers. He tasted like hamburger. Hamburger, and Pogue. She laughed softly and tucked into hers.

It was several hours later when they finally escaped the cafe, with a promise to visit them again in two weeks. Della repeatedly hugged both of them, and stood at the door with Murray as the kids settled themselves on the bike. With one last wave, Pogue released the brake and they sped off, moving further up the hill. After about ten minutes they had finally reached the summit, Pogue pulled the bike off the man road, and followed a dirt track into the dense brush. Just as she was about to ask where they were going, the woods opened up into a clearing, and the sight took her breath away.

They were high above the small townships that dotted the base of hill, and in the distance they could see the sun beginning to set over the mountains. As Pogue switched off the bike, Monica climbed off, her eyes never leaving the view. The pinks, reds and orange rays of sun splashed out against the landscape, making it look as though everything was on fire. She turned her smiling face to Pogue, who had reversed his seating on the bike, his back now resting against the front.

He sat up straighter and held out his hand, helping her to climb back on the bike, her legs looped over his. He wrapped his arms around her back and she snuggled into his chest, her heart bursting at the fact that Pogue had brought her here, of all places. It was like he knew about her connection to nature, even though he couldn't possibly. She leant back a little to watch him, and found him staring out into the distance, the brilliant sunset colouring his face, making his eyes shine. He looked peaceful, beautiful, and when he turned his head to look back at her, she smiled up at him.

"Thank you," she said softly, "for bringing me here. It's...perfect" she finished, leaning into kiss him.

They sat their for a long time, watching the sun set, trading long, slow kisses, and it when he noticed her shivering, he pulled back with a frown. "We should head back", he said in a low voice, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. As much as she hated to, she had to agree. She was getting pretty cold, and Piper's jacket wasn't leather, like his. He leant in for another kiss, before they settled themselves back on the bike, and he made his way back out to the main road. She held on to his body, leaned her head against his back, and felt completely and utterly fulfilled.

As they sped through the night towards the school, neither of them could keep the smiles from their faces.


	13. Chapter 13

They stopped to grab a pizza close to the dorms, and Monica was relieved to find the room empty when they arrived. "Sarah must still be at Caleb's," she said, dropping the keys on the desk, as Pogue put the pizza on the bed and began sifting through their dvd collection. He came up grinning, holding The Shining in his hand, as she walked out of the bathroom in her tank and sweatpants. Grabbing a couple of sodas from their small fridge, she climbed onto the bed, her back against the headboard. Pogue shrugged off his jacket and kicked off his boots, before joining her on the bed.

Monica pulled the pizza onto her lap to give them better access, and they both pulled a slice out, as the movie started. They must have fallen asleep at some stage, because Monica awoke to the TV casting a dark blue hue over the room, and the pizza box was nowhere to be seen. She was lying half on her side, half across Pogue with her leg curled into the crook of his, and her hand tucked against his chest. She watched his sleeping form, taking in the long, dark eyelashes fanned against his cheeks, the high cheekbones, the chiselled jaw and those gorgeous, full lips. He really was beautiful.

"Gonna stare at me all night, gorgeous?" came the sleepy voice, jolting her from her reverie.

She grinned up at his face, noticing that his eyes had cracked open just a little. He brought his hand up to brush the hair from her face, and stroked her cheek, his thumb lingering on the corner of her mouth. Her lips parted and her tongue darted out to graze the pad of his thumb. He groaned, and pulled her up his body, his lips capturing hers. It wasn't a violent kiss, but a slow, steady building of passion. He sipped at her mouth, tasting her lips as if they were coated in honey.

When she opened her mouth, giving him access, his tongue invaded with a groan. One hand came up to tangle in her hair, and the other ran down the side of her body, followed the shape of her backside, and gripped her thigh, pulling her further across his body. As he pulled her to sit astride him, she moaned, feeling the full impact of his aroused state. She sat up, breathless, only to have him follow her into a sitting position, capturing her mouth again immediately. Her hands disappeared into his hair, and one of his found her backside again, while the other slid up the length of her back to grasp her neck.

The only sounds were those of breathless panting, low moans and tortured groans. She broke away again, catching her breath, and decided that he was over dressed. She gripped the hem of his t-shit, pulling it over his head, before pushing him back against the pillows. She did nothing for a moment, just savored the view, before leaning down and attacking the pulse in his neck. He groaned and widened her access to his neck, his hand flexing against her thigh. She worked her way across his collarbone and back again, before pausing a moment to relish the expression on his face, before bending her neck and attacking his nipples. She licked, nibbled and sucked as his hands gripped her hips, almost violently.

She issued a low moan and he ground her down against his lap, before raising himself into a sitting position again, this time pulling her tank top off at the same time. His eyes darkened as he took in the black lace half-cup covering the creamy flesh, and when he ran his tongue along the edge of her bra, grazing the sensitive skin, she shivered against him, and gripped his shoulders. He mimicked her actions by kissing and sucking along her collarbone, to her neck, zeroing in on the spot where the neck meets the back of the ear. The sound of her husky voice, moaning his name, echoed around the empty room as she felt his fingers release the catch of her bra. It soon joined the pizza box somewhere on the floor, and she felt her breath hitch as she glimpsed the fire in his eyes as he surveyed her naked form.

His hands stroked their way around to her chest, his palms cupping their weight, thumbs stroking across her sensitive pads. When his mouth descended on one nipple, nibbling and sucking, she bucked against him, and her arms slid under his, her hands exploring the taut muscles in his back. She shuddered as his mouth found her other nipple teasing and torturing, and he couldn't suppress his grin, as she pushed him back against the pillows, her mouth finding his in a long, drugging kiss. The feel of her naked chest grazing across his was driving him wild, and he growled a deep, primal sound from the back of his throat, when she sat up again, running her nails lightly down his stomach.

She was just reaching for his zipper when the door opening and a light being switched on made her freeze, but it was Sarah's gasp from behind them that made Pogue sit up sharply, the abrupt movement causing Monica to fall off the bed. As she half hid behind the bed, frantically searching for her discarded top, she snuck a glance at their intruders, her cousin obviously enjoying the spectacle, while Caleb respectfully averted his eyes. "Shit, shit, shit," she cried, still searching for her top, and Pogue crouched on the floor beside her, aiding her search. He found it under the bed, and she gratefully grabbed it from his hands before holding it against her chest, a replacement for her arm, and she darted into the bathroom.

Slamming the door shut, she pulled her top on, and sat down on the toilet lid, her head in her hands, thoroughly mortified. She could hear scuffling around in the room beyond the door, and the muffled giggles that she knew belonged to her cousin. She rocked back and forth on her perch, debating whether or not to hide in the bathroom until the boys had gone, or to just accept the situation and face the audience outside. She sighed, running her fingers through her hair and paused for moment, before taking a deep breath and pulling the door open.

As the door opened, Caleb and Sarah looked up from her cousin's bed, where they had settled down to watch a movie, and Pogue turned from his place beside her bed, having pulled his t-shirt back over his head. She ignored the smothered grins of the former, crossed her arms over her chest and made her way to the latter. A slow grin spread across his face as he dropped his jacket on her bed, and pulled her into the protective circle of his arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face against his chest, trying to pull herself together.

She felt his warm breath against her ear before he whispered, "As much as I want to stay, I think maybe I should get going...?" She grinned up at him, nodding, and crossed to open the door as he picked up his jacket and said his goodbyes to Caleb and Sarah. She shut the door behind them, giving them a little privacy in the hall, but not before poking her tongue out at her cousin, who gave her the thumbs-up. She sighed as she leant against the wall next to the door, laughing softly as he grinned at her, running a frustrated hand through his hair.

She gripped the hem of his jacket, tugging him towards her, and he came eagerly, wrapping his arms around her waist, his body weight pinning her against the wall. Her hands slipped under his open jacket, gripping his hips, as his mouth captured hers in a deep kiss. At her soft whimper, he pulled away with a groan, and buried his face in her neck. She grinned, sympathising with his frustration, and shivered a little as he straightened and pulled away, her body missing his warmth. "Goodnight, beautiful," came the low rumble as he dropped a quick, hard kiss on her lips.

"Night," came the breathless reply, as he turned and walked down the hall.

She returned to the room, changing from her sweatpants to her shorts, and Sarah looked over her shoulder from her position on the bed, her face full of apology. "We're so sorry, nica. If I had any idea of….well, we would have stayed away. Or at the very least, we would have knocked!" Monica couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing, finding the comedy in the situation, and soon Sarah and Caleb joined in.

Once they had calmed down, she settled into her bed, watching the rest of the movie with them, smiling as Caleb stripped to his boxer-briefs and slid in beside his girlfriend. She had to admit, her cousin had excellent taste! As she lay there in the darkness, she replayed the night's events over in her head. She thought about what had almost happened and couldn't help but feel unfulfilled. Pogue evoked feelings that no one had ever done before. None of the other guys she'd been with had ever had this effect on her! She could still feel his skin under her hands, under her tongue, could still smell his scent. When she closed her eyes, the memories were so strong that she could have sworn he was lying right beside her. She sighed, turning onto her side, and smiled happily, as sleep captured her.


	14. Chapter 14

Monica rose early, and was showered and dressed before Sarah and Caleb even stirred. She plucked her cousin's car keys from her bag before writing her a note and leaving it on the side table. As quietly as she could, she grabbed her jacket and bag, exited the room and softly locked the door behind her. The halls were silent, most sane people still asleep at this hour on a Sunday morning. The morning air was chilly, and she pulled her jacket closer around her body, silently thanking the heavens that Sarah's car had heating.

The radio was on and she sang quietly to herself as she navigated the car through the quiet Ipswich streets. As she neared Boston, she wound her way through the outskirts, preferring to keep away from the city. It seemed like she hadn't been back in years, when it had only been a week, and she could feel her slightly frayed nerves begin to ease as she spotted her familiar haunts. Pulling into her grandparent's driveway, she smiled, seeing Nana on the verandah swing-seat, two cups of steaming tea on the table beside her.

Grabbing Sarah's scarf from the backseat and wrapping it around her neck, she ran up the front steps to her grandmother. Nana had risen and pulled Monica into her warm embrace, smiling at the soft sigh from her granddaughter. Taking her hand, she pulled Monica down to sit beside her, passing her one of the mugs. Monica held the mug in both hands, breathing in the faint scent of the vanilla her grandmother is so fond of putting in tea. "I knew you were close, sweetheart, so it should be hot enough for you", she smiled as Monica took a sip. Monica nodded, closing her eyes, and let the calming tea work it's magic.

They sat swinging for a little while, talking about school, her new friends, Sarah and how she was adjusting to life in the dorms. Monica wasn't the slightest bit surprised when Nana turned to her with a raised eyebrow, her head tilted slightly to one side. It was a look she had seen so many times from her mother, when her knew that something was troubling her daughter. She sighed, taking another mouthful of tea before shifting towards her grandmother, telling her about the dream she had, and also about the barn that gave her the ridiculous sense of unease.

Nana listened intently, nodding her head, and asking questions every so often. When her granddaughter finished speaking, she turned her head to gaze upon the mountains, a thoughtful look on her face. "What do you think it means, dear?" she asked, her shrewd green eyes snapping back to Monica's.

"I don't know, Nana, " she replied, running a hand through her hair, "Sarah had long hair in my dream, and she's only recently cut it, so it could have been the past or it may be something that's going to happen... But if it _was_ in the past, Sarah would have told me, right? So it must be something that hasn't happened yet. Or it could just not happen at all?" she looked to her grandmother for confirmation.

Nana smiled, and patted her hand, gazing back out at the mountains. "Sweetheart, I've never known one of those kinds of dreams to not come to pass," Monica's stomach dropped at her grandmother's words. "Whether it deals with the past or future is for you to figure out. Once you do, you'll know exactly how to proceed." Monica sighed, laying her head on Nana's shoulder. She was lost in her troubled thoughts when she heard her grandmother chuckle. She looked up, confused, into Nana's shining eyes. "So, dear, are you going to tell me about this young man of yours?" Monica laughed, resting her head back on her shoulder, and delighted Nana with the all the details of her new 'young man'.

They heard a crash from inside the house, followed by a muffled curse. Nana sighed, shaking her head, and rose to her feet. "That grandfather of yours is tryin' to cook again. I swear he's going to burn down the house!" she laughed, holding her hand out for Monica to take. They wandered inside, the aroma of bacon and eggs filling their noses. He grandfather was hunched over the frying pan, patting the eggs with a wooden spoon. Sensing his wife's presence, he pointed to the spice rack, silently asking for the cinnamon. Nana chuckled, plucking the jar from the shelf and placed it on the bench beside him, sneaking a pat on his backside as she passed. Monica grinned at their display, pulling up a stool at the island bench.

A bunch of daffodils and lavender were sitting in a vase next to her elbow and the bench, and Monica dropped her head to breathe in the scent. Lavender. Mom. Carmen had used lavender soap for as long as she could remember. While she was still alive, Monica would wrap her arms around her mom, burying her face deep into her neck, breathing in the scent, instantly at ease. But since her mom died, whenever she caught a whiff of lavender, it broke her heart a little, reminding her of how dim her life had become without her mother to colour it.

She had cupped her chin in her palm, and was staring down at the bench top, lost in her thoughts, when Nana returned to the kitchen, scowling at the flowers that had wilted in response to Monica's sadness. "Hey, hey, hey. There will be none of that here!" she scolded, grabbing plates from the cupboard. As her grandfather turned, and sent her a wink, Monica smiled and passed a hand over the vase, the flowers regaining their former beauty.

After the filling breakfast, Monica washed up before grabbing her jacket and scarf and making her way to the back door. "Just going for a walk", she called, buttoning her jacket.

"Say hi to your mom for me," came her grandmother's reply.

With a smile, Monica pulled the door closed behind her, and started down the steps, heading towards the woods. Her grandparent's house resided on 8 acres, the majority of the land dominated by wild woods. She had grown up in these woods, and she knew that she would always feel it's pull, no matter how far away she was. They were a part of her life force.

Breathing deeply, she could smell the oncoming rain, and pulled her jacket closer to her body. Walking slowly, not really thinking about where she was heading, she eventually found herself at the pond, and a small smile graced her features as she stood there, hands in her pockets. She walked softly over to her 'spot' just near the water, and sat down, crossing her legs beneath her. She closed her eyes, clearing her mind, reached forward to touch her fingertip to the surface. The ripples fluttered their way to the edge of the pond, and a scene swam to the surface as she opened her eyes.

She saw Sarah and Caleb walking along the path through the woods behind the school. Their arms were wrapped around each other, and she was beaming up into his face as he smiled down at her. He had just dropped a kiss on her lips when she suddenly turned her head to the right, her eyes trying to focus on something. Monica smiled, realising that her cousin had just sensed her. Sarah gave a small smile and a quick nod, before turning back to Caleb, noting the confused look on his face. She laughed and leant up to kiss him as Monica closed her eyes again, the water clearing.

She let her fingers rest in the water, just at the edge of the pond, and felt a small tremor pass through her hand. Frowning, she opened her eyes to find that another scene had taken place on the water's surface. She closed her eyes again, but the scene wouldn't disappear, it simply played behind her eyes. She was standing in the woods, not her woods though, somewhere else. A man, a little older than herself, had taken a hold of her hand, trying to pull her deeper into the woods. She was pulling against him, struggling to free her hand from his. She could hear Pogue yelling her name, and as she tried to turn her head, the man in front of her gripped her chin, forcing her eyes to meet his brilliant blue ones. She couldn't tear her eyes away from his, and could feel her resistance slowly begin to fade, when she felt a rush of wind whip past her, and the man in front of her was thrown backwards into a tree. She felt Pogue's hands grip her arms and she spun around with relief, but when she looked up at his face, she couldn't contain the scream that left her throat.

His eyes were as black as midnight.


	15. Chapter 15

Her eyes flew open and she snatched her hand from the water, the surface clearing. She stood, abruptly, wiping her hand on her jeans, and noticed that she was shaking. Frowning down at the water, she ran an unsteady had through her hair. The feeling of unease had returned, and she turned away from the pond, striding further up the hill, trying to clear her mind.

_What the hell was with Pogue's eyes? _

_Who the hell was the guy with the hypnotic blue eyes? _

_What the hell wasn't her cousin telling her?"_

She switched directions, making her way east, needing the comfort of the 'question rock'.

The 'question rock' was a large boulder her mother used to frequent, and as Monica's abilities began to mature, she had explained the rock's history. For as long as the women in her family have had these abilities, they have relied on this place to soothe their fears. If you were unsure about something, or uneasy about something, as Monica was, you could sit upon the rock, and concentrate on whatever it was ailing you and nature would somehow let you know the answer. It wasn't always good news, but they had learned long ago, they needed to accept the bad with the good.

She pulled herself onto the rock, letting her feet dangle over the side, and tucking her hands under her thighs.

Leaning forward slightly, she closed her eyes, trying to formulate a question that would be easy to answer. A few moments later, on a soft breeze, she released her question into the woods. _'Will I be able to handle whatever is coming my way? Will I survive it?'_ She opened her eyes as a strong gust of wind whipped around her body, while the nearby trees remained unmoved by the unseen force. She closed her eyes again, a sense of calm washing over her.

She felt a soft fluttering against her back and opened her eyes to an incredible sight. Hundreds of butterflies had surrounded her, and though she was smiling, she could feel tears escape from her eyes and run down her cheeks. She sighed as their wings brushed against her face, and she was suddenly overwhelmed by the scent of lavender. Laughing, she watched them as they soared above her head, soon blending against the sky. Looking back down at the ground, she climbed down from the rock and smiled. Kissing her fingertips and placing them against the boulder, she whispered, "Thanks mom", before making her way out of the woods.

The sun was setting as her grandparent's house came into view, and she jumped slightly as her phone began vibrating in her pocket. She knew it was Sarah without even looking at the display, and flipped it open with a smile. "Hey, bear, how's things?" She stopped walking to sit on a low log.

"Not bad, love, how are the grand oldies"? her cousin replied.

"Good, good" she laughed, picking a few blades of grass near her feet.

She could hear a door close and a car start on the other end of the phone and assumed that Sarah was still with Caleb. "We're all heading to Nicky's right now. Did you want to meet us there?"

"Sure," she replied with a smile. She could do with a night out, and she really wanted to talk to Sarah about what she had seen at the pond. "I'll probably be about another hour. I'll see you when I get there." They signed off and Monica stood, stretching her back, before making her way up the stairs, and through the back door, the smell of a roast assaulting her senses.

It was about two hours later when she finally escaped from her grandparents and pulled to a stop in front of Nicky's. She passed Caleb's car, then the hummer, and was about to make her way to the door when she heard raised voices from behind the bar. She thought she recognised the voices, and as quietly as she could, she walked along the wall of the bar, poking her head around the corner just enough to see. To her surprise she saw the boys, all of them looking pissed off.

Caleb had Reid by the collar, arguing with him about something, Tyler and Pogue flanking them on either side, their faces grim. "If you keep using, you're going to kill yourself, Reid!" He said, letting him go with a shove.

'Reid's on drugs?!' she thought. No wonder Caleb was angry! As she was trying to imagine how someone like Reid could be stupid enough to use drugs, Reid let out a low yell, pushing his palms towards Caleb. Caleb flew with surprising force against the back of the bar. It was just like the guy she had seen in the pond! She couldn't suppress her gasp or the noise her shoes made on the gravel as she took an involuntary step back. Four heads whipped around to see her standing there, mouth agape.

"Oh, god," she heard Tyler whisper, and as Pogue took a step towards her, she did the first thing that came to mind.

She ran.

Her heart beating like a rabbit caught in a snare, she ignored the voices calling her name from behind her and weaved through the cars in the parking lot, heading towards her salvation. The woods across the road.

"Monica stop! Please stop!" she could hear Pogue and Reid calling from behind her, and she began to panic as she heard their heavy footsteps gaining on hers. Running deeper into the woods, she felt the familiar sense of calm begin to take over her body, her senses sharpening. Her eyes had turned brilliant green, and she could almost visualise Reid's arm reaching out, only a metre or so behind her now. She raised her eyes to the tall tree in front of her, and as she ran under it, a large branch snapped with a resounding crack, missing her ankles by centimetres, but causing Reid to trip.

She heard him swear loudly and stand up, as another set of feet leapt over the branch, faltering for a second, before finding their rhythm again. She turned sharply, having put enough distance between herself and the boys to look for somewhere to hide. Instinct drove her towards a large maple tree, and she crouched beside the enormous trunk, the folds of the exposed roots easily hiding her slight figure. She could hear four lots of footsteps close by, and they slowed, as if somehow sensing that she was near. She knew that they would spot her in no time, and she looked towards the heavens, quietly whispering to herself.

As the boys looked around them dumbfounded, the surrounding woods seemed to grow darker. They looked skyward, expecting the moon to be covered by the clouds, but it stood brilliant in the sky, not a cloud around for miles. Frowning they looked back down again, and sure enough, they could barley see each other, let alone the surrounding brush. The wandered around for a little longer, trying to guess their way, but it was pointless. They would be sure to get lost.

Unbeknownst to him, Pogue had stopped only a metre from where Monica crouched, hiding. She could hear the boys nearby, calling out to her, and jumped a little when Pogue joined in. "Monica! Talk to us!" he called, but it was the "please", that he said quietly, on a tortured breath, that made her eyes fly open. He was facing away from her, and if he turned suddenly, he would surely see her green eyes glowing from darkness. He repeated the 'please', and her heart felt like it was breaking, the pain in his voice echoing the pain in her heart.

She felt an urge to reach out from her hiding place and to let him soothe her fears. To accept the secret they were hiding. To tell him hers, and it was only by a force of will that she held herself back, even though her hand had begun rising toward him without her knowledge. She had to cover her mouth to stifle her gasp as Tyler came stumbling from the other side of the tree, almost running into Pogue in the darkness. She bent her head towards the ground so they wouldn't see her eyes, and breathed a sigh of relief at Tyler's whispered "C'mon man, we'll never find her in here. Let's go find Sarah. Maybe she can tell Monica without her freaking out."

Monica's shoulders sagged at his last comment, a shiver racing through her body. _Sarah knew_. Sarah knew and didn't tell her. She didn't warn her. How could she know what Monica was walking in to, and not warn her? She felt an emptiness inside of her, that she hadn't felt since her mom died. She heard the boys move away, and waited until she was sure they had left the woods, before tears coursed down her cheeks and sobs racked her body. She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs, and laid her head down and cried her heart out.

She didn't know how much time had passed before she heard the cracking of branches underneath someone's foot. She knew instinctively that it was her cousin, and although her anger had passed, she still felt a sense of disbelief. "Nica?" Sarah called softly, trying to find her way through the darkness. Monica sighed and stood, stepping out from her hiding place and Sarah instantly spotted her glowing eyes. As her eyes slowly returned to their normal colour, and the woods became little less dark, Sarah ran over to her cousin and threw her arms around her, just as Monica's hold snapped, and she broke down in a new flood of tears.

Monica thought she didn't have any tears left in her, but she was wrong. As Sarah's arms came around her, the dam broke again, and she found herself clinging to her cousin. "You knew," she cried, "How could you not warn me about this...whatever this is?"

Sarah's own eyes flooded with tears, and her heart ached at her cousin's sadness. "I couldn't tell anyone, nica. Not even you. It wasn't my place. I wanted to tell you so many times, but I couldn't betray their trust, just as I would never betray yours" she finished looking deep into Monica's eyes, and Monica knew she was right. She, of all people, understood the need for secrets.

After assuring her that the boys had gone, Monica left the woods hand in hand with Sarah, and they made their way to her car, pulling out of the lot, and drove around in search for a diner that would be open at this time of the night._ Sarah was going to tell her everything._


	16. Chapter 16

As they sat in a booth in the near-empty diner, Sarah nursed a cup of coffee, while Monica's hands were wrapped around a mug of hot chocolate. Monica listened intently, and at times disbelievingly, as her cousin told her what she knew about the Covenant. About it's history, the boys' powers, Caleb's father, the battle with Chase, and the problems with Kate. Monica didn't interrupt, not even once, and as Sarah wound down her story, she looked at her cousin with apprehension. She didn't know how Monica was taking the new revelations. She couldn't read her face at all.

Monica was staring down at her mug, trying to digest the information when she heard Sarah's soft, "Nica?"

Raising her confused green eyes to meet her cousin's worried blue ones, she let out a deep breath and looked out of the diner window. Sarah sighed, running a hand across her face, then jumped a little Monica spoke. "So, that dream I had. It was you and Caleb and that other guy- Chase?"

Sarah nodded, shrinking into her seat, not proud of the fact that she had lied to her cousin. Monica's eyes once again rested on her cousin's, and Sarah was relieved to see that they were no longer confused, but clear.

"What about what I saw at the pond? Do you think that could really happen?" Sarah looked perplexed at the question. It had been playing on her mind since Monica told her about it, and saying she was afraid of the possibility, would be an understatement.

Shrugging her shoulders, Sarah began toying with a lock of her hair. "I honestly don't know. I mean, I guess it's possible, seeing as they never found Chase's body...but from what Caleb's told me, Chase took quite a beating that night..."

"But it's been three months," Monica frowned, "he could have recovered by then. This is serious, bear, my visions have never meant 'nothing' before..." Sarah nodded, biting her bottom lip.

"We need to go and talk to the boys," she started, holding up her hand as Monica's eyes snapped to hers. "They need to know about what you saw, nica! We don't have to elaborate on your abilities, although I can pretty much guarantee that they would be fine with it. We need to tell them that you saw Chase again. He was really powerful before- I don't know if that will have changed..."

Monica hid her face in her hands and let out a small groan. "Are you sure they will believe my visions? Don't you think they'll be mad at me for practically spying on them and discovering their secret? What if they decide to get rid of me to keep their secret safe? Can they do that??"

Sarah reached across the table, grabbing her cousin's hands as she started to panic. "Hey, hey, hey, calm down ok? They're not going to hurt you. They haven't hurt me, and I know their secret! And they didn't hurt Kate, even though she left on fairly unpleasant terms... They know and trust me, so they will trust you too. You need to have faith when I tell you that they will take your abilities seriously. Remember my dream? Your mom told us we'd be safe, and believe me, the boys will do anything they can to protect you! If anything, trust your mom..."

Monica sighed, and her shoulders sagged under the weight of the knowledge that Sarah was right. She had always trusted her mother's judgement, why would she stop now? They finished their drinks, Sarah explaining that the boys were waiting for her call, so Monica fixed up the bill while Sarah made her way out of the diner.

As Monica exited, she caught the last of her conversation. "...We'll be there soon. Just try not to freak her out, ok? Ok, love you too. Bye." Sarah flipped her phone closed and turned to Monica with a smile. "Ok, they're glad that you haven't run away screaming," feeling relieved, as a small grin graced her cousin's mouth, " and I've told them to meet us in the woods behind his house, near the lake. I figure that way, if you get a little freaked, then you can take cover..." Monica laughed, loving Sarah's ability to soothe her.

Sarah drew her in for a hug, before turning and leading them towards her car. As they drove, they discussed whether or not to divulge Monica's whole secret or to just tell them about her visions. They finally settled on only telling them a small amount for now, but Monica had the option to reveal more, if she felt comfortable enough, and Sarah would take her cue from her cousin. They pulled up in front of the biggest house Monica had ever seen, and as she climbed out of the car, she spotted the hummer, Caleb's car and Pogue's bike parked off to the side. Sarah, sensing her cousin's tension, entwined her fingers with Monica's, trying to give her some courage.

Monica smiled tightly and Sarah led her to the opening of the woods, following a track that wasn't noticeable, unless you were walking on it. As they delved deeper into the brush, Sarah could feel her cousin's body relax, as it always did, the calm of the forest enveloping Monica. They continued walking for a few minutes, and Monica could see a faint glow in the distance. As they came to a clearing in the woods, her grip on Sarah's hand tightened slightly, and she surveyed the scene in front of her. The boys had started a small fire a little way from the edge of a huge lake. The lake was beautiful, the moonlight making it glow slightly against the dark backdrop of the forest.

The boys were sitting around the fire on several large logs, and rose as one as they noticed the girls' arrival. Caleb smiled at Monica, reassuringly, as Tyler moved to stand beside Reid, giving the girls their own space on one side of the fire. As they took their seats, Monica bringing her knees up and wrapping her arms around her legs, her eyes flicked involuntarily to Pogue and her breath caught at the intensity on his face. He looked unsure as to whether or not he should approach her, and eventually settled for sitting across from her, his eyes never leaving hers over the fire.

Caleb sat to their left, while Reid and Tyler dropped to the log on their right, and for a few moments, no one knew how to begin. Monica finally broke the silence, surprising even herself by trying to inject some humour into the situation. "So... witches huh? Shouldn't there be a cauldron over this fire?" Sarah giggled beside her, while Tyler chuckled, Reid snorted and a wide grin split Caleb's face. Pogue gave a little smirk, and she met his eyes again, momentarily thrown by how good he looked in the firelight.

Caleb took this as a sign that he could approach Monica without scaring her, so he took a seat next to her on the log, and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "So, Sarah explained everything to you right?"

"Pretty much, " she replied, watching him intently.

"And you're ok with it?" he asked, his eyes flicking between her and Sarah.

"Um," she began, focusing on the fire, "yeah... I'm still digesting everything, and it's going to take some getting used to, but yeah, I think I'm definitely going to be ok with it," she finished with a small smile. She felt Caleb's arm wrap around her waist and he pressed a kiss to her hair, before standing up and walking off to the side.

Tyler sat down in his place and grabbed her hand, willing her to look at him. She did, and without a word, she wrapped her arms around his neck, as his came around her back. He gave a small laugh, and she smiled when she pulled back and noticed the unshed tears in his eyes. "Now you know every secret I have", he whispered, and she brought her hand up to cup his cheek, a sadness in her eyes that he couldn't understand.

"Show me?" she asked in a small voice "Show me...something?"

Tyler nodded, and looked towards Caleb for assurance, who grinned, before rising and pulling her with him. They stood, hand in hand, a few steps from the fire, she looked around, a little excited, but also a little scared. Just as she was going to ask if he had done anything, he looked up at her, his entire eye pitch black, and she couldn't hold back her gasp. It was even more astounding in person. She watched in awe as he smiled and her attention suddenly drawn to the fire.

It seemed to pulse, then rose, towering over them before shooting out and creating a ring around them. She was amazed that, as the fire raged around them, she could only feel a little heat, even though the force of the flames throwing her hair around her face. She reached a hand out, holding her palm only inches from the flame, yet she wasn't burned. As she looked at Tyler in confusion, the fire darted away from them, sweeping around the others who had risen to their feet. It danced around them, as if moving to some silent music, and Monica felt tears well in her eyes, overwhelmed by it's beauty.

As the fire returned to it's initial state, and Tyler's eyes resumed their beautiful colour, she felt a few tears escape from her eyes. She raised her hand to wipe them away, when her wrist was caught in a familiar grip, and Pogue turned her towards him, his big frame enveloping her small one. Her arms went about his waist, and she pressed her head against his chest, smiling a little when she heard his heart speed up.

Caleb held out his hand to Sarah, and motioned his head to Reid and Tyler. "It's getting a little cold out here," he said softly, "we're going to head back to the house. Just come on up when you're ready".

Pogue nodded, his arms never leaving Monica, and Sarah watched them with a small smile for a second, before joining the others, as they walked away.

They stood there for a long time, Monica still trying to wrap her head around this amazing news, Pogue simply giving her time to adjust. He stood there, stroking her back, her arms, her hair, and she felt a wave of contentment wash over her. She couldn't believe that she had been so afraid of him before. Standing here, in his arms, she had never felt so safe. Not even around her mother. She couldn't explain it and gave up trying, instead, deciding to trust her heart. She pulled back from him a little, and looked up, slightly awed by his beauty.

"Hey," he whispered, staring down at her, "How you holding up?"

She smiled, and leaned up to drop a long kiss on his lips, before pulling back again. "...I need to show you something..."


	17. Chapter 17

_**Thanks for the reviews guys! You all rock!_

_**XxDarkFirexX & BlueLilyInDarkness- you guys are adorable, and such an ego boost! Much love!_

****Chapter seventeen**

He frowned down at her, and she took a deep breath before pulling away from his arms and moving to stand next to the lake. She heard his slight intake of breath as she turned to face him, eyes glowing. She raised her hand, palming facing upward, a small ball of fire resting on her fingers and she bent, touching her fingers to the lake's surface. As the flames touched the water, it was as if it was suddenly filled with oil. The flames raced around the rim of the lake before edging their way into the middle. Soon the whole lake was ablaze, and she turned to gauge his reaction.

Pogue was astounded. He had known that there was something special about her, but he had no idea it was this epic. He watched at the dark water soon became a lake of fire, and as she turned to face him again, he knew that he would never see anything quite as beautiful ever again. Her hair was blowing softly in the breeze, the raging fire behind her casting her in a red glow, making her eyes stand out. She looked wild, yet at the same time, utterly at peace. She turned back passing her hand over the lake and the fire slowly died. Soon it had receded completely and the water was still, save for a few ripples from the breeze.

It was only then that he realised that they were not alone in these woods. He felt something brush against his thigh and looked down, startled to see a coyote staring up at him, it's yellow eyes shining in the moonlight. His eyes turned black, but before he could use, he heard her soft "Wait," and she held her hand out to the wild dog. The coyote, cast another glance at him, then passed, making it's way to her side, and to his amazement, more and more passed him, until there were easily fifteen to twenty of them swarming around her legs.

She was smiling down at them as they nuzzled her hands, her legs, her hips, and for a few minutes they looked more like household pets than wild coyotes. She raised her eyes to his, motioning for him to join her, and after a slight hesitation, he closed the distance between himself and the dogs. The regarded him questioningly, sniffing the air, before moving to his side, allowing him to run his hands over their matted fur. His breath escaped him in a rush, and he was overwhelmed by the knowledge that he was experiencing something most people would never get to.

As one, the coyotes raised their noses in the air, and apparently finding something that required their attention, they fled. Their light coats were shining in the moonlight, and as they ran huddled in a group, they looked almost unreal. Supernatural. They both stood there in silence, watching at the coyotes disappeared into the darkness, and as she turned to face him, her eyes were returning to their natural colour. He let out a low laugh, running his hand through his hair and regarded her with a grin.

"Wow," was all he could say.

She smiled up at him, nodding her head. "I know. Amazing, huh? It never fails to disappoint."

"H...How?" he managed to ask, taking a seat on one of the logs.

"I'm... I don't know how to explain it. Different? I guess you could call me a witch, but we've always just referred to ourselves as gifted. Our abilities are our craft, and each generation is different. My mom would manipulate water, and heal anything from a paper cut to a broken bone. My grandmother could see the future, read palms and had an affinity with nature. Her gardens are amazing..." she broke off with a shrug.

"What about you?" he asked, pulling her down to sit beside him. "Is it just fire?"

"No. Usually someone only receives one or two gifts, but every now and then, someone can receive many. I was lucky enough to be one of those. I can manipulate fire, water and nature. I can sometimes see the past and the future, I have a connection with animals, and on very rare occasions, I've even been able to alter the weather..." she finished, biting her bottom lip, praying to god that she wasn't freaking him out.

His thumb was absently rubbing against her hand, and his forehead was furrowed in thought. "So... your whole family has these...abilities?"

She shook her head, relieved he seemed to be accepting it. "It's only passed down through the women. My grandmother's mother, my grandmother, my mom, me. Sarah is the daughter of my mother's brother, so she didn't inherit the gifts."

He nodded, rubbing a hand across his chin. "Wow," he smiled over at her. "You're amazing..."

She grinned, nudging him with her shoulder. "I guess we have more in common than we thought, huh?" she laughed.

He nodded, laughing as well. "You going to tell the boys about this?" he asked, rising to his feet, holding out his hand to her.

She gripped it, and brushed the bark from the log off her clothes, before he wrapped his arm around her waist, and they began walking back towards the house. "Yeah, I think they could handle it," she replied, grinning up at him with shinning eyes.

He laughed, pulling her closer to his side. "Yeah, I think they just might."

They found the group in the basement, Reid and Tyler playing pool, Caleb and Sarah sitting on one of the couches, talking softly. They all looked up as Monica entered, Pogue not far behind her. Sarah jumped up from the couch and ran over, pulling her cousin into a tight hug. Monica wrapped her arms around Sarah's back, and whispered in her ear "He knows. I'm going to tell them."

Sarah smiled, gave her a little squeeze and stepped back, letting her cousin have the floor. Reid and Tyler had abandoned their game, and smiled as Monica passed them, moving to lean against the pool table. "I have something I need to tell you guys..."

She told them what she had told Pogue, and gave them a demonstration with a bunch of flowers sitting in the middle of the coffee table. Their jaws almost hit the ground, as the blooms grew to massive proportions, winding their way around the floor, wrapping themselves up the boys' legs. Pogue told them about the lake of fire, and their encounter withe coyotes, and Monica told them about her vision at the pond; the one of the unnamed name with the hypnotic eyes. All four of them glanced silently at each other with a frown, a look that Monica missed, as she was watching the flowers return to their previous size.

Tyler drew himself up onto the table beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist. "I'm glad you chose to trust us with your secret," he said with a soft smile.

Reid grinned from his position on the arm of the couch, "Yeah. It's good to know you're as much of a freak as us!"

She laughed as Sarah smacked in the face with a cushion. "Does Piper know?"

Reid shook his head, the brightness dulling in his eyes." Nah, we started dating just after the Chase thing. She wasn't involved in it, so there hasn't been a need to tell her..." he shrugged his shoulders, and Monica sighed at his sadness.

It was a long time later before they had exhausted all questions about each other's abilities. They had filled her in on the things that Sarah had missed, and she had given them her family's history, along with a few more demonstrations. She had succumbed to two yawns when Caleb walked them out to their cars. Monica assured him that their secret was safe with her, and he returned the sentiment.

They said their goodbyes, Pogue pulling her into a kiss that make her knees weak. They parted, as did Caleb and Sarah, and as she was climbing into her cousin's car, Monica could have sworn she saw something move at the edge of the woods. Her second look revealed nothing, and she shook her head with a smile. As they pulled out of the driveway, and Caleb shut the door behind him, a figure stepped out from behind a tree, smiling to himself. Things had just gotten interesting.


	18. Chapter 18

The next week flew by, and before they knew it, the weekend was upon them again. The boys won their heats at the swimming meet, of course, and they decided to celebrate at Nicky's for a couple of hours, before heading to Tyler's for the weekend. The group were at the pool tables while Monica was standing at the bar, waiting for a drink, when she felt someone press against her from behind. Thinking it was Pogue, she grinned, leaning her head back against his chest, and felt his breath on her ear before he dropped a kiss to her neck. 'That's not Pogue', she thought, spinning around, only to come face to face with Aaron.

He smirked, placing his arms on the bar, either side of her, effectively trapping her. "Get off me," she ground out, pushing against his chest. He just laughed, moving his body closer.

"Hey!" Nicky called from behind the bar, "I don't think the lady's enjoying your company, Aaron. Why don't you just go find a corner to sit in?"

Aaron, frowned, snapping his eyes to the big man. "Why don't you mind your own business, Nicky?!" Quick as a flash, Aaron brought his hands up, clasping Monica's face, crashing his lips down onto hers. Her mouth had opened in shock, and to her disgust, his tongue forced its way in. She had begun punching his chest, trying to wrench her head away from his, when Aaron's head was suddenly forced back, and Monica saw Pogue behind him, his hand fisted in Aaron's hair, a furious look on his face.

He flung Aaron across the room, smirking as he hit wall hard. With a growl in his throat, he made to charge, as Monica grabbed his arm and Nicky jumped between them. Monica pulled him back as hard as she could, and even then, he only took a tiny step back before regaining his balance. "Stop!" Nicky grunted, pushing him back further, "He'll be outta here in a minute, don't do anything stupid!"

Pogue glared at the big man, running an angry hand through his hair, before wrapping an arm around Monica and allowing her to lead him back to the group. It had all happened so fast that the boys hadn't a chance to react, and they were all standing with their mouths gaping as Nicky pulled Aaron off the floor, and escorted him out of the bar.

Monica pushed Pogue against the table, planting her weight in front of him (not that it would have stopped him if he wanted to move), and cupped his face in her hands.

As his angry eyes met her upset ones, he pulled her into his arms, his anger rising again, as he felt her shaking. "You ok?" he asked, running his hands over her back.

She nodded, trying to get her heart to stop beating so fast, and jumped as she felt an unknown hand grab her arm. She spun around to see Nicky standing before her, a shot of whisky in his hand.

"I don't normally give alcohol to minors," he began gruffly, pushing the glass into her hand, "but I figure you might need to get that taste out of your mouth."

She grinned, tipping her head back, the firey liquid burning her throat on the way down, and handed the glass back to him. "Thanks Nicky," she smiled as he pat her head and walked back to the bar.

Sarah had moved to stand next to her cousin, tears in her eyes, and when Monica looked over at her, Sarah let out an angry sigh and wrapped her arms around her. "Are you ok?" She exclaimed, "What they hell did he think he was doing?!"

Monica tightened her hold around her cousin, trying to soothe her. "I don't know what he was thinking, but I'm ok..."

Piper crossed her arms with a huff, glaring at the door, "Well I think Pogue here had the right idea. I say we go and kick his ass!"

Pogue grinned, as Monica released her cousin. "I'm pretty sure he'll be feeling the pain tomorrow morning, don't worry!"

They decided that the night's fun had run it's course and made their way out to the cars, and Monica could feel the stares of the other partons burning into her back. She shook her head, gripping Pogue's hand tighter and followed Tyler out the door. As Caleb and Sarah made their way to the Mustang, Tyler, Reid and Piper climbed into the hummer, Monica opting to ride with Pogue. She slipped on behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. She loved being this close to him, he made her feel safe. She secretly loved that he knew how to handle himself. 'Cavewoman mentality', she thought with a grin.

Pogue revved the bike, checked the road, and released the brake, sending them flying into the night. They made it to Tyler's just as the others were climbing out of their cars, and after collecting their bags from the hummer, they made their way into the manor, escaping the cold night air. Being the first time Monica had been here, she paused in the hall, looking around with awe. Rich, but not arrogantly so, the manor was tastefully decorated, giving it a homely feel, despite it's extravagant size. Ty pointed them to the sweeping staircase, before walking into the kitchen to order pizza, and the boys led the girls upstairs, forking off to the rooms they normally occupy when they stay.

Caleb and Sarah had the room at the end of the hall, Pogue led Monica to a room about 3 doors down from them, and Reid carried Piper's bag into the room at the other end, and she presumed that Tyler's was somewhere in the middle. Rolling her eyes at Reid, as he deemed it necessary to point out that "this is where I'll be sleeping tonight... Naked... In case you wear Pogue out, and need a real man. I'll be here... Naked... Just so you know", she laughed and shut the bedroom door behind her. Pogue had thrown himself on down on the bed and was leaning up on his elbows, watching as she hunted through her bag for her sweats and a tank top.

With a triumphant 'woohoo', she stood and threw the clothes on the bed, and began to unbutton her shirt. She glanced down at Pogue, who sent her a lazy grin, and slowed her actions, popping one button at a time, very slowly. As she pulled the shirt from her shoulders, letting it dangle from her fingers before falling, his tongue snuck out to wet his dry lips, his eyes dropping to the black material obscuring his view. With a smile, she moved closer to the bed, and he sat up, his head reaching her chest, and her voice was slightly husky as she stood in front of him. "Want to help me with these?" she asked, motioning to her jeans. His grin widened at her shiver as he ran his hands up the back of her thighs, over her backside, coming to rest at the zipper.

He tucked his fingers under her waistband, popping the button, then began to kiss her stomach as his fingers tugged on the zip. Her fingers dove into his hair, as his lips trailed softly across her sensitive skin, and she tilted his face up to drop a deep kiss on his mouth, and his hands slipped under her jeans, sliding them over her hips and down her legs. She moaned into his mouth, as his hands re-traced their path up her thighs, this time, his rough skin tantalising her bare flesh. As his hands gripped her hips, ready to pull her down onto his lap, she broke away from his mouth with a startled jump, when Reid pounded on the door, telling them that the pizza would be there in five minutes. Pogue groaned, pulling her closer as she went to pull away, and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his cheek against her stomach. She trailed her hands across his shoulders, relishing the affection, before pulling away with a quick kiss and throwing her sweatpants and tank on.

"Are we going to be interrupted _every time_?" Pogue asked in low voice, rising and running a hand through his hair.

Monica laughed, grabbing socks from her bag as Pogue stripped off his jeans and pulled on his own sweats. "Well, handsome, you're lucky I'm worth the wait," she called over her shoulder, making her way to the door. She gasped as she was spun around and picked up, Pogue's mouth crashing down onto hers. Only when she was suitably breathless, did her put her down, before adjusting his stance, throwing her over his shoulder and heading out into the hall. Giggling like a little girl, she smacked his back, raising her hands in defeat at Caleb and Sarah, who followed them laughingly down the stairs.

The doorbell rang as Pogue hit the bottom of the stairs, and as Reid ran for the pizza, he slapped Monica's ass on the way through. She gave a yelp, as he laughed, and piffed her socks at him, whooping when she caught him on the back of the head. Pogue carried her all the way into the den, earning a confused look from Piper and Ty, and dropped her softly onto the couch, her face flushed by this time. Taking his place on the couch beside her, he grinned as she swatted his shoulder. Tyler was popping the dvd into the player as Reid walked in, putting the pizzas on the table. They all reached in for a slice, as the movie began, and Monica settled into the curve of Pogue's arm with a contented sigh. Life was good.


	19. Chapter 19

By the time the second movie had finished, Sarah and Monica were asleep, and Piper and Tyler weren't far behind them. Pogue stood, stretching out his back before leaning down and scooping Monica into his arms. Calling goodnight to those still awake, he made his way up the stairs and into their room, softly kicking the door behind him. With roguish grin, he considered dropping his girlfriend on the bed, thus causing her to wake up and hopefully be frisky, but decided he liked his testicles attached to his body, and wanted to keep them that way. He was smarter than Reid, he thought with a small chuckle.

Turns out he shouldn't have worried. She opened her sleepy eyes just as he was slipping his arms out from under her, and she stopped his upward momentum by lightly grabbing the front of his wifebeater. Placing his hands on either side of her head, he gazed down at her. "Hey" he said softly, as she raised a hand to brush his hair away from his face.

"Hey," she smiled up at him, exerting the little pressure needed to pull him down to the bed.

He dropped his weight onto her, one arm going beneath her pillow, the other curving up under shoulder, burying his face into her neck. Wrapping her arms around him, Monica smiled contentedly. She was affectionate by nature, and hugs were a part of her survival. She savoured the embrace for a few minutes, sighing as he dropped light kisses along her collarbone and up her neck, before shifting a little under his weight, her arms sneaking under his top. She felt the small shiver that ran through his body as she lightly traced her nails across his back, and grinned wickedly. She loved knowing that she had the same effect on him, as he did on her. He raised his face, a lazy grin breaking across his mouth before dropping his lips to hers in a light kiss.

For a while they traded long, slow kisses, passion simmering just beneath the surface. Soon, the fire had intensified, their kisses becoming deeper and more demanding. She broke off, taking a gulp of air, before gasping as his hands slid under her tank, slipping it over her head. Her bra soon followed, and he trailed his knuckles down her side, his hand coming to rest at her hip. Her fingers had little difficulty finding the hem of his top, and it soon joined hers on the floor. She shuddered as her bare flesh hit his, her hands running up the length of his arms, and across the ripples of his shoulders. His hands found her waistband again, and he began to slip them over her hips. Sliding her underwear down as well, she shivered as the cool air hit her most sensitive skin.

Dropping the pants to the floor he began to make his way back up her body, dropping light kisses to the inside of her knee, her thighs, her hipbone, and back up her stomach. Her gasp echoed around the quiet room as his mouth and hands zeroed in on her breasts, cupping, sucking, nipping and teasing. Her breathing had become heavier, as his mouth reclaimed hers and his hand disappeared between their bodies, slipping between her thighs. She moaned as his fingers stroked, her hands gripping his shoulders. Their tongues explored each other's mouths, until she couldn't wait any longer, and she reversed their positions, her lips never leaving his.

As he settled onto his back, and she moved to sit astride him, she ran her nails softly down his chest. She bent to kiss and lick her way across his stomach as her hands found the drawstring of his pants. She grinned at him wickedly, seeing the ragged rise and fall of his chest, and began inching his pants and underwear down his legs. After throwing them on the floor, she ran her hands up his calves then his thighs, feeling the muscles spasm under her palms. She heard his quick intake of breath as her hands and mouth found him, touching him, tasting him, and his hands slid from her shoulders to tangle in her hair, his deep groan making her shiver.

He didn't want to lose his control, so, as she brought him close to the edge for the second time, he gripped her upper arms, and drew her back up his body. Kissing her deeply, he rolled them over again, before settling himself between her thighs. He looked down at her, silently asking permission, and she answered by pulling his head down to hers, and curling her legs around his. As he entered her with a groan, and his name escaped her lips on a gasp, her legs wrapping around his hips. Soon, they found their rhythm, the room echoing with their sighs, moans and groans.

Sliding an arm under, and around her waist, he shifted so that he was sitting back on his feet, pulling her onto his lap. Her hands gripped his shoulders, as one of his cupped her backside and the other tangled itself into the hair at the back of her neck, pulling her into a deep kiss. Their current position gave them better access to each other, and their hands roamed across heated skin, his hard muscle a stark comparison to her creamy softness. She broke their kiss with a moan, her muscles tensing, and bit down on his shoulder as she climaxed, trying to muffle the sound. He tipped his head back, the feel of her teeth against his sensitive skin, sending him over the edge and her name rumbled from somewhere at the back of his throat.

They collapsed back onto the bed, his weight on top of her, their hearts pounding against each other. As she struggled to catch her breath, he shifted, raising himself onto an elbow, and looked down at her, his hand cupping her face, thumb lightly stroking her cheek. She closed her eyes, leaning her head into his hand, and from the look on her face, he wouldn't have been all that surprised if she began to purr. Her eyes opened, as he chucked at himself, raising an eyebrow in question. He grinned, leaning down to drop a soft, lingering kiss on her lips, smiling into her mouth as her hand slid from his thigh to his hip, giving it a squeeze.

"You were right," he laughed softly, tracing his hand down her breastbone, his thumb and little finger lightly scraping the swell of flesh.

"Huh?" she asked, trying to concentrate on what he was saying, his hand creating havoc with her senses.

You were right," he repeated, his hand now stroking across her ribs, "You were totally worth the wait."

She finally registered what he had just said, and threw her head back, a hearty laugh escaping her throat and he couldn't help but mirror her reaction. "Well, you better get used to it, mister. After that effort, I can't wait for more" she grinned, pulling him down with for a kiss. He shifted between her thighs again, her gasp acknowledging _just_ how ready he was for an encore. Her soft laughter soon turned into tortured moans, as he pulled her into the abyss again and again.


	20. Chapter 20

Monica woke a few hours later, the moonlight peaking through the slit in the curtain. She could feel Pogue's arm around her waist and his breath on her neck, his soft snoring breaking the silence of the room. She turned around so she was facing him, and smiled up at his sleep-softened features. His eyelashes were fanned against his cheekbones, his mouth relaxed into a small smile, and she raised her hand to run her fingers softly along his jaw, grinning when he mumbled in his sleep. She realised she was falling in love with him, and the thought scared her. She had never fully given herself over to anyone before. She had trusted him with her secret, and he hadn't run screaming, which was a great sign, but still, she couldn't help but feel uneasy about surrendering herself completely.

Sighing, she pressed a soft kiss to his mouth, and slipped out of the bed, careful not to disturb him. Pulling on her sweatpants and top, she made her way quietly into the hall and descended the stairs. The house was dark, but she could make out the shapes of furniture, and easily manoeuvred herself towards the kitchen. As she stepped through the doorway, a tall shadow fell into her path. She gasped, and struggled as a pair of hands gripped her upper arms.

"Mon! It's me! Stop!" She recognised Reid's soft whisper, and sagged against him, her hand flying up to her chest.

"Jesus, Reid! You almost gave me a heart attack!" she panted, smacking him on the shoulder.

He chucked, rubbing soothing hands up her arms. "Me? You're the one who snuck in here, almost giving me the heart attack!"

She grinned, leaning up against the bench opposite him, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. "What are you doing here, anyway?" she asked, trying to make out his features in the darkness.

He smiled and held up a sandwich. "I always get hungry after...well, you know..." he broke off with a smirk. Monica rolled her eyes, and kicked him softly on the shin. "You?" he asked, before taking a bite.

"Thirsty," she replied, pushing off from the bench and opening cupboards, looking for a glass.

Reid shook his head and reached into a cupboard to her right, pulling out a glass and handing it to her. She took it, grinning, before heading to the sink, as Reid swallowed his mouthful. "Ok, I'm off again. Just remember, my room is at the end of the hall. I'll still be there...naked. Pip too. Oh yeah, we could have some fun..." he let out a soft laugh and ducked as she threw the dish cloth at him.

She rolled her eyes and turned back towards the sink as he walked out of the kitchen. She was sipping her second glass of water as she felt him against her back, his hands on either side of her on the bench. She chuckled, shaking her head. "No Reid, you are not going to get me naked."

"Now that's a shame," came an unfamiliar male voice from the darkness.

She gasped and tried to turn, but one hand slapped across her mouth, pinning her head to his shoulder, the other grabbing both of her wrists. She struggled against the intruder and he shoved her forward, his weight pressing her into the bench.

"Oh, you're a little wildcat, aren't ya! I like fire in my women," he chuckled as she bucked against him. "Now, now, alley-cat, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you, I just want you to give the Sons a little message for me," she stopped struggling when he mentioned the boys, flinching as he dropped his head to her neck, inhaling her scent. "You tell them it's time for retribution. You tell them... _Chase is home." _

She gasped against his hand and her eyes flew open, before he shoved her hard to the left, crashing her head against an overhead cupboard. Pain exploded near her left eye and she gave a strangled cry, then there was nothing but darkness.

When she came to, she was lying on something soft, someone's fingers brushing her hair away from her forehead, and something cold against the left side of her face. She opened her eyes to see Sarah above her and winced as pain flashed through her head, the movement alerting her cousin. "She awake!' she called, the harsh burst of noise grating against Monica's already throbbing head, and soon five more faces joined Sarah's, some worried, some angry.

She blinked a few times, trying to clear her head, and began to sit up. Pogue's hands shot out, and helped her into a sitting position, before taking the seat beside her, his hand coming up to grasp the cloth against her eye. He frowned as he checked her wound, telling the others that she was going to need stitches, and Sarah jumped up, grabbing Tyler's keys from the table. They all rose, Pogue pulling Monica to her feet, and as she swayed on her feet, he scooped her up, into his arms. "I don't think we all need to go," he chuckled to the group, as they all looked prepared to follow he and Sarah out to the car.

Tyler frowned, about to argue, when Monica's soft voice floated up from Pogue's chest. "It's ok, guys, we wont be long..." Caleb nodded, laying a comforting hand on Ty's shoulder, and Pogue sent them a small smile, before following Sarah out to the hummer. He propped her gently in the backseat, grinning as Sarah took her place beside her cousin, throwing the keys to him. He pushed the car as fast as he safely could, sneaking glances at Monica in the rear view mirror, her pale face a stark contrast to the darkness of the car's interior.

"What happened? Did you fall?" Sarah asked, her arm around her cousin's shoulders, her right hand gripping Monica's.

Monica shook her head and regretted it instantly, letting out a small hiss. "It was Chase," she began, gasping, as Pogue almost swerved off the road.

"What?!" he exclaimed from the front seat, regaining control of the car. "Chase was in the house?"

She nodded, slightly, and frowned, trying to remember what he had said. "He said something about it being retribution time… or something like that..." Pogue swore from the front seat, and Sarah's hand tightened him hers.

While Sarah stayed with Monica as the doctor patched her up, Pogue was pacing in the hallway, his voice angry as he relayed Chase's message to Caleb on the phone. "What they hell, man? How could he be back? You banged him up pretty bad!" he bit out, running a hand through his hair.

"I know," Caleb sighed into the phone, "but we don't know exactly how strong he was. It's possible he is back, just as powerful as he was before..."

Pogue growled, slamming his fist into the wall, startling the people sitting nearby. His frown softened, and he sent them an apologetic look, before turning and leaning against the wall, his hand shoved into his pocket. "Ok, man, Mon's just with the doc now. We should be back soon. We'll talk about it then. Just watch yourselves there, huh? Make sure Piper doesn't go anywhere on her own."

Caleb let out a small chuckle, as Piper returned from the bathroom, followed very closely by Reid and Tyler. "No need to worry about that, man," he replied, before signing off.

Pogue sighed, dropping his phone into his pocket as Monica and Sarah joined him in the hall. Her left eye was beginning to bruise, and she had a small piece of gauze over her stitches. She grinned as she spotted Pogue, and Sarah went on ahead to pick up the pain killers the doctor had prescribed. Pogue crossed to his girlfriend, pulling her into a hug, and smiled as she sighed, wrapping her arms around his back. She pulled away and he grabbed her hand, setting off down the hallway. They met Sarah at the front doors, and huddling together against the bitter morning wind, they made their way to the car, all three eager to get back to the group.


	21. Chapter 21

When they arrived back at the house, the aroma of french toast filled their noses. Sarah groaned at the smell, and Monica's stomach rumbled in agreement. The girls made their way into the kitchen, as Pogue looked up, and they had to stifle their laughter at the sight of Caleb standing in front of the grill, a pink and white floral apron tied around his torso. Their efforts were futile, however, when Pogue took his place at the door, his tortured, "Aw, man!" causing them to break into fits of laughter, Monica holding her head to help with the pain. Caleb whipped around, his face flushing at having been sprung by his girlfriend, and a flash from another direction indicated that Reid now had photographic evidence.

Caleb threw the plastic spatula at Reid, who ducked, and the goo from it splattered all over Piper's face, her shocked expression causing them to laugh harder. Reid was doubled up, laughing as he unsuccessfully tried to wipe the mess from his girlfriend's face, until she snatched the towel from his hand and completed the task, before throwing the towel at Caleb's head. It landed with a soft thump, covering his face, and this time, it was Tyler who snapped the incriminating picture. Sarah was crying by the time she reached Caleb, pulling the towel from his head, and planting a kiss on his embarrassed face, and he grinned turning back towards the grill. 'It was the only one Ty could find," he explained with a shrug.

Pogue frowned, smile still plastered to his face, before opening a drawer, revealing a plain black apron. Tyler chuckled, slamming the drawer shut, and Pogue joined in the laughter, Piper not far behind him. Monica had made it to the island bench, sinking onto a stool, holding her head in both of her hands, trying to ease the throbbing her laughter had caused. Sarah noticed, and grabbed a couple of pain killers from the bottle, handing them to her cousin with a glass of water. Monica smiled at her gratefully, and swallowed them, praying for swift action.

Caleb placed a tray on the bench, and everyone joined Monica on the stools. The pile of toast quickly vanished, and their jovial discussion soon turned serious, as Pogue brought up the Chase incident. Reid kept apologising, sure that if he had only waited for Monica, she would never have been attacked by Chase. Despite Monica's repeated assurances, the frown remained on his face. The boys made the decision not to leave the girls alone if at all possible, and plans were made for Piper to temporarily move into Reid and Tyler's room, with Caleb and Pogue taking up residence with Sarah and Monica. They boys also decided not to go anywhere on their own.

They all felt a little more at ease after the conversation, and as the pain killers had kicked in, Monica felt up to the suggested movie marathon. First though, she was in desperate need of a shower, and Pogue followed her out of the kitchen, laughing softly at the whistles and catcalls that followed them. He wrapped his arm around her waist, supporting her as she made her way up the stairs, and set about finding her a towel, while she hunted through her bag for a clean change of clothes. She grinned, leaning up against the doorframe to the ensuite, as Pogue turned the shower on, testing the water with his hand. As she began to strip off her clothes, Pogue turned, watching her with hungry eyes.

She was tempted to invite him to have a shower with her, but knew that her delicate state would be no match for the assault on her senses that his naked presence would bring. Instead, she slid a small smile his way as she passed, stepping under the warm spray, and he pulled himself up onto the basin, settling his large frame against the mirror. "Be careful you don't get your stitches wet," he called softly, and she nodded, grabbing the sponge to wash her face instead. He sat there the whole time, chatting about various things and generally keeping a close eye on her, worried that the warm water may make her woozy. He said as much, and she grinned, loving this softer side of him, knowing that she was one of the few people lucky enough to witness it.

When she told him she was almost done, he began to strip off his own clothes, readying himself to jump in after her, and she had stifle the small groan that escaped her throat. He was _so_ beautiful, it took her breath away. As she stepped out and let him pass, he dropped a soft kiss on her lips, before shutting the clear door behind him. She grinned, wrapping a towel around her body, and moved to the basin to brush her teeth. Pogue was stepping out of the shower as she finished, and towelled himself off before striding into the room, not a stitch on him. She chuckled as he passed her, slapping a light hand against his backside, and he grinned back at her, eyebrow raised.

She laughed as she pulled on her underwear, followed by a clean pair of sweatpants and a long sleeved top, and hunted around for a pair of socks. He was dressed by the time she found them, and they exited the room together, as Sarah was walking down the hall, her hair still wet from her own shower. Sarah threw her arm around her cousin's shoulder, Monica's snaking around her waist, and they made their way into the den, where the boys and Piper were arguing about what movies to watch. Sarah pointed out that it was only 11:30am, that they would have plenty of time to watch all of the movies they were fighting over, and they grumbled their acceptance.

The doorbell rang, startling them all, and Tyler jumped up, a slight blush on his face. "Oh, I figured since we were just going to be hanging out, that we might as well invite Chris over... He's a friend, right? That ok with everyone?" he asked, his eyes flying to Monica's.

She grinned, and nodded, as the rest of the group chorused their approval, and Tyler ran to answer the door. Caleb and Sarah had occupied a loveseat, with Piper and Reid taking the one opposite, so Pogue sat down on the couch, pulling Monica down beside him. She sat with her back against him, his arm across her shoulder, fingers lacing with her right hand. Ty reappeared, Chris behind him, and plonked down next to Monica, as Chris walked around the room, greeting everyone. The couch was only a three-seater, so Tyler shifter closer to, and she draped both of her legs over his left one, and Chris slid onto the couch on Tyler's right, his arm coming to rest along the back of the seat.

Some time, during the movie, Chris' fingers had begun softly stroking the hair at the back of Tyler's neck, causing Tyler to grin, giving Monica's thigh a quick squeeze, and she glanced over at him, locking eyes before noticing Chris's hand, and smiling back at the TV. She missed the stricken look on Tyler's face when she looked away, just as he noticed that Pogue's eyes had narrowed on the hand at the back of his neck, and his eyes slid to Tyler's, apprehension dawning in them. Ty gaped at him, his frightened look breaking Pogue's heart, and he sent him a wink and a small smile, before turning back to the movie, hoping to have alleviated some of baby boy's fears.

Once the credits began to roll, Piper raced to the bathroom, as Tyler stood, announcing that he was going to order pizzas. As he left the room, Pogue stood, stretching his back, oblivious to the two sets of eyes ogling his displayed flesh from the couch, and strode out of the room, in the direction of Tyler. Monica sighed, leaning back into Pogue's empty place, and Chris leant over, half sitting, half lying on her. She giggled and wrapped her arm around his shoulder, and the chatted animatedly, while Caleb and Sarah looked on, laughing at their antics.

In the kitchen, Tyler had just hung up the phone and turned to find Pogue leaning against the counter behind him, intense eyes locking onto his own. Pogue frowned at the 'deer-caught-in-headlights' look on his brother's face, and sighed, shaking his head. "How long have you been together?" he asked, pulling himself up onto the bench top.

"A couple of months," Tyler replied, mimicking Pogue's position on the counter opposite.

"A couple of months..." Pogue mumbled, his frown deepening, "When were you planning on telling us?"

Tyler's eyes flicked to the floor, and a blush crept up his face. "I would...I just… I didn't know how to tell you. I was worried about how you'd all react. I guess I was just scared..."

Pogue sighed running a hand through his hair. "Jesus, Ty. Did you really think we'd have a problem with it? We already had our suspicions. We just want you to be happy!"

Tyler's eyes snapped up to his brother's, brightening at the acceptance he saw there. He slid off the counter as Pogue did, and they met in the middle, their arms going around each other. Pogue grinned at the slight tremor in Tyler's hands, and pulled away, ruffling baby boy's hair. "Just make sure he knows that if he hurts you, _in any way_, we'll kill him," he finished with dead seriousness, before walking out of the kitchen. Tyler leant back against the counter, letting out a ragged breath. He couldn't help the huge smile that inched its way across his face, and he shook his head at his stupidity. How could he have doubted his brothers?

A discreet cough from his left had him whirling around, Piper's stunned face meeting Tyler's exasperated one. "Wow, Ty. I had no idea! I'm so glad you found someone!" she exclaimed as she ran into his arms.

He laughed, picking her off the ground. "I'm glad you're ok with it, " he whispered, burying his head into her neck, "Do you think Reid knows?"

Piper shrugged, as he set her back on the floor, "I don't know. I think, like Caleb, he might have his suspicions, but I couldn't say for sure. I think you should tell him, though. _Today_," she emphasised, patting him on the shoulder. He nodded, taking a deep breath, before following her into the den. As he hit the room, the doorbell rang, signalling the arrival of the pizza, and he asked Reid to give him a hand.

It was a good five minutes later when they finally reappeared, a big smile on Tyler's face, and a serious expression on Reid's. As they dropped the pizzas onto the table, Reid moved to stand in front of Chris, his eyes flashing a silent warning. Chris understood, and nodded briefly, a tight smile gracing his lips, and Reid gave a quick nod in return, before nudging Ty's leg with his, grabbing a slice of pizza and settling back next to Piper. Monica grinned at the rush of air that escaped Tyler's lips, and reached forward to grab a slice for herself and Pogue, before throwing her legs over Ty again. The second movie began and they all settled into their places, a small smile gracing every single mouth.


	22. Chapter 22

The manor lay in darkness, the bright moonlight peaking through cracks in the curtains, when Piper's scream pierced the silent house. Monica jerked awake as Pogue shot to his feet, his eyes black. They scrambled to pull on their clothes before running down the hall to Reid's room. They found Reid on the floor, Tyler kneeling beside him, clutching a crying Piper, his face confused. He was asking her what happened, but she was too upset to even speak, her face hidden in his chest. Caleb ran through the door, followed by Sarah, and Pogue shrugged, indicating that they had no idea what was going on. Reid stood, still holding Piper and moved to the bed, sitting her across his lap.

Piper moved behind the hysterical girl, her eyes glowing, and placed her fingertips to her shoulders. After a few moments, Piper had calmed down, a running nose and a few hiccups the only evidence of her outburst. Tyler grabbed a box of tissues from the bathroom and handed them to her, as Reid rubbed comforting circles on her back. She blew her nose, gratefully drinking the water that Caleb had handed to her, before running a hand through her hair and sighing.

"I got up to go to the bathroom," she began, her forehead dissolving into a frown, "and I was washing my hands at the basin, when I looked up, and there was someone behind me!" Reid tensed, his hand fisting against her back. "I wasn't imagining it, I swear! I could feel him against my back! And his eyes... oh my god, his eyes were black! Not just the iris, but his whole eye! That's can't have been real, right? It must have been shadows or something... But anyway, I screamed, and then he was gone. Like a gust of wind or something. Just...poof!" she flapped her hands in the air to accentuate her point.

Monica licked lips that had suddenly become dry, and her hand gripped Pogue's forearm. He looked down at her with a frown, before wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her against his side. Reid glanced from Tyler, to Pogue then to Caleb before Caleb nodded, and began pulling Sarah from the room, Pogue, Monica and Tyler not far behind them. As Caleb closed the door, Monica heard Reid's soft voice, "Baby, uh...there's something I need to tell you..."

The boys were leaning against the railing of the balcony, while Sarah and Monica had sat down on the top step, five sets of ears straining to hear something, anything from beyond the heavy door. They had heard muffled gasps and crying and muted conversations, over the past twenty minutes, but thankfully no yelling or screaming. The door opened abruptly, and the boys straightened up while Monica and Sarah jumped to their feet, as Piper walked unsteadily down the hall, her eyes red and swollen from renewed crying. Reid followed a few steps behind, an unreadable expression on his pale face, and as Piper grabbed Monica and Sarah's wrists, pulling them into Tyler's room, he joined his brothers, running a hand through his hair.

In the room, the girls sat against Tyler's headboard, while Piper took her place in front of them. Her face was pale, her brown eyes shining with unshed tears, and she took a deep breath before fixing her gaze on two sets of worried eyes. "So... Chase isn't just some guy who was giving Caleb trouble huh? Did you guys know?" she asked, her voice shaking. They both nodded solemnly, and a lone tear ran down Piper's cheek. "How long?" she asked softly.

Sarah glanced at Monica before replying first, "I've known for awhile. I was there through the Chase thing."

"And I've only found out recently..." Monica finished, reaching out to take Piper's hand.

"I'm so sorry, Pip," Sarah started, grabbing her other hand, "It wasn't our place to tell you, and Reid just wanted to protect you..." she broke off, not knowing what else to say.

Piper nodded, "I know. He explained everything to me. I just can't believe it, you know? It all seems so unreal. I would never have believed him if he couldn't have proved it..." Both girls nodded, understanding Piper's disbelief.

"Are you ok with this?" Monica asked tentatively.

Piper nodded slowly, as if only having made the decision. "I love him," she shrugged, "It's not his fault that he inherited this, right?" Monica grinned, nodding her head, and reached forward to pull her into a hug. Piper sighed, wrapping her arms around Monica's neck, giggling when Sarah threw her arms around both of them. They talked for a little while longer, the blondes filling any gaps Reid had missed, before making their way back into the hallway once again.

Reid straightened from where he had been leaning against the rail, his eyes locking on to his girlfriends, unsure as to whether or not he should move towards her. She answered his question by holding out her hand, smiling as he grasped it, pulling her into his arms. The boys looked towards the girls for an answer, and their smiling nods eased their fears. Caleb cleared his throat, moving to Sarah's side. "Well, we're gonna head back to bed..." Sarah nodded, dropping a kiss on Piper's cheek, before following Caleb to their room, Tyler following suit. Pogue grinned at his brother, patting Piper's arm, before backing down the hallway, waiting for Monica, as she too kissed Pip's cheek.

Monica closed the door behind them, leaning against it with a sigh, as Pogue dropped himself onto the bed, his back against the headboard. He held his hand out to her, and she made her way across the room, sitting cross-legged on the bed, facing him. His hand took hers, his thumb absently tracing circles across her palm. "What's going to happen, Pogue?" she asked, her fingers plucking at the comforter.

He shrugged with a sigh, his face drawn into a frown. "I don't know, babe. Last time he was clearly out for Caleb. This time... we have no idea what his agenda is. He could be after any one of us."

She nodded, as he lay down, pulling her down beside him. "Maybe we should try to come up with a plan or something tomorrow. Figure out some way to get him before he gets us..." She snuggled into his side, tucking her hand against his chest, as his hand stroked her hair.

"I think you have the right idea. But it's going to be tough. He's a smart son of a bitch. Unpredictable too. I don't know. We'll talk to Caleb about it, tomorrow."

She nodded against his shoulder, another idea popping into her head. "I'll pay a visit to my grandparent's too. See if nana can shed some light..."

"Good idea," he conceded, before reaching over to shut off the light. He settled back down with a sigh, his hand returning to its place in her hair. Monica's eyes were growing heavy, and soon her even breathing echoed around the room. Pogue, on the other hand, lay awake for a long time. His heart was plagued by the fear that something bad could happen. To the others. To Monica. They had to figure this out._ Soon._


	23. Chapter 23

The group was muted at breakfast the next day, each lost in their own thoughts. Caleb cleared his throat, asking what everyone's plans were for the day. Tyler, Reid and Piper were going to head into Boston for the day, try and keep their minds off the impending danger, Monica told them of her plans to go and visit her grandmother, being careful to leave out details, as she still hadn't told Piper about her gifts. Sarah announced that she would join her, with Caleb and Pogue chiming in. Once breakfast was finished and they were all showered and dressed, they grouped together by the cars, a little apprehensive about splitting up.

After assuring the group that they would be careful, Tyler, Reid and Piper climbed into the hummer and pulled out of the drive. Caleb said they would stop by his house to grab some clothes before heading to the grandparent's, Pogue opting to grab his later that afternoon. As Monica climbed on behind Pogue, she felt Sarah grab her hand, a worried look on her face. "We'll be ok, bear, don't worry. You guys just be safe, ok?" Sarah nodded, before patting Pogue on the shoulder and climbing into the mustang.

"You good?" he called over his shoulder, and she wrapped her arms around him as an answer.

They pulled out of the gates, Caleb close behind them, then sped along the back roads. This time, the freedom of the bike couldn't ease Monica's soul. She was too worried about what was going to happen. They reached her grandparent's house in no time, April waiting on the porch for them.

"Took you long enough," she called as they climbed off the bike, pulling their helmets off. "Well, don't just stand there, come on in, for pete's sake!" she exclaimed, walking through the front door.

Pogue looked over at Monica, a stunned expression on his face, and Monica just laughed, grabbing his hand and pulling him up the stairs. They dropped their helmets by the door, hanging their coats on the hook, when Monica tilted her head, getting a whiff of the cookie smell wafting from the next room.

"Mmmm,' she moaned, practically floating towards the kitchen.

Pogue grinned, casting a quick look around the house. It wasn't small, but it was inviting. Plush carpet, warm coloured furniture and photographs occupying almost every inch of the walls in the hallway. Pogue walked slowly passed them, some were very old, there were some of Sarah's family, some of Monica and Sarah as kids, and quite a few of Monica with her mom. He paused in front of one that took his breath away.

Monica and her mom, sitting side by side. One, simply a younger, mirror image of the other. Both had an air about them, strength, knowledge and something he couldn't quite put his finger on. The sun was beaming against their faces, making their hair shine and their eyes glow, and once again, he was struck by just how beautiful she was. Without thinking, he raised his hand and traced his fingertips across Monica's image, and he was unaware of the small smile playing at his mouth. The look, however, was not missed by the older woman watching him from the kitchen doorway. She smiled, her eyes shining at the love she saw in the boy's face.

She coughed gently, causing him to turn, his hand dropping from the picture. She saw no embarrassment in his face, just that small smile, and her heart soared. She motioned for him to follow her into the kitchen, and pointed to a stool at the bench before pulling a tray of cookies from the oven. He dropped to the seat, grinning at Monica as she practically drooled at the freshly baked cookies.

"So, uh..." Pogue began, clearing his throat.

"Not yet, sweetheart, we'll wait for Sarah and your friend," Nana interrupted. Pogue looked at her, mouth agape, and she chuckled, flicking him lightly on the chin. "You're not the only ones around here that are special." His eyes grew wide and his gaze flew to Monica. She simply shrugged her shoulders with a grin, and reached for a cookie from the plate in front of them.

"They're here", April commented a few minutes later, pouring two more glasses of soda.

Sure enough, they heard the front door close and a streak of blonde hair flew through the room, into her grandmother's arms. "Nana!" Sarah cried, scooping her into a hug.

"Hello, Sarah-bear", she smiled, planting several kisses on her grand daughter's cheek. Sarah was soon replaced by Caleb, who lifted the older woman off the floor a couple of inches, much to her delight. "Sit, sit," she chuckled, placing their drinks on the bench in front of Monica and Pogue.

They boys bumped fists, as Sarah squealed at the sight of the cookies, grabbing the biggest one she could find. They chatted animatedly for a while, filling their grandmother in on the comings and goings at school, and soon the cookies had disappeared completely, courtesy of the boys.

"Now," April began, removing the plate and taking a seat at the end of the island bench, between Sarah and Monica, "Let's talk about this problem you're having. Someone has returned, haven't they? Someone with not-so-noble intentions..."

The girls nodded, as Caleb and Pogue traded dumbfounded looks.

"Hmmmm," she continued, looking off into space, her eyes glowing a little, "He's a handful, this one, but you defeated him once, and I have no doubt that you will do so again."

Monica felt as if a weight had been lifted from her chest.

"Mark my words, though, it won't be easy. You'll need help. You have others to call on, don't you? Others like you?" she asked, her eyes snapping to the boys.

The nodded, Caleb clearing his throat. "Reid and Tyler, friends of ours..."

"No," she interrupted, "It's not enough. He's a lot stronger than he used to be. You'll need the others."

Pogue glanced at Caleb, a frown on his face. "Our fathers." Caleb sighed as April nodded.

Her eyes returned to their deep blue, and she took a deep breath. "I'm sorry boys, but that's all I can see."

Monica reached out, clasping her grandmother's hand in hers. "Its good, nana. It helps a lot." The rest nodded, and April patted her cheek.

She left the room briefly, returning with a bag full of amber stones. The girls recognised them from the same stones placed in every room of the house. "You put these where you think you'll need them most. Bedrooms, bathrooms, that sort of thing. No evil can harm you when they protect your space." Sarah took hold of the bag, passing a stone to Caleb as he strained to get a better look. He turned the smooth stone between his fingers before handing it to Pogue, who did the same. "Now, you four best be getting along. I believe you boys have some matters to discuss with your parents," April noted, rising from her seat.

They nodded, dropping their dishes into the sink before making their way to the front porch. Caleb was the first to say goodbye, then Sarah and Monica, and last of all, Pogue. She embraced him as she had done the others, but held on a little longer, pulling his head down to hers. "She will protect you, just as you will protect her. Trust in that, and you will overcome the troubles set before you. Remember that," she said softly in his ear, before releasing him with a pat on the cheek.

"Yes, ma'm," he grinned, before joining Monica at the bike.

With a wave and a honk all four pulled out of the drive, weaving their way towards Ipswich, each feeling a little more at ease with the situation.


	24. Chapter 24

The four of them arrived back at the dorms just as Reid, Tyler and Piper were climbing out of the hummer. After jaws hitting the ground at April's revelations, they decided that their best option was to confront the elders together. Reid and Tyler escorted Piper to her room to collect some clothes, then back to their room, while Caleb and Pogue walked Monica and Sarah to theirs. While Sarah placed a few stones on the shelf in the bathroom, Monica placed two on the windowsill and two on one of the bookshelves. She had to admit, she felt a little safer knowing that they would protect them. More secure. She was so glad they had gone to nana for advice.

Once Reid and Tyler had walked Piper back to the girls' room, Pogue wrapped an arm around Monica, and dropped a soft kiss to her lips, before leaving to see their fathers. Sarah noticed the sadness on Caleb's face and it broke her heart. She touched her hand to his forearm and looked up at him, her eyes conveying everything she felt, and he gave her a small smile in return. It was the first time since his father's death that he really thought about what he had lost. Sure, he had his father's powers, but he violently wished things had been different, that his father could have been there, the age he should have been, to fight beside him.

As she hugged Pogue goodbye, Monica's feeling of unease returned, her new worry focused on the fact that Pogue would inform their fathers about her gifts. She had fought against her instinctive reluctance to tell them, recognising how much of an asset she could be, and she hoped they would be open to her gifts, as the boys had been. Who better to understand, than the descendants of 'the power'? Pogue had sensed her inner turmoil, and had whispered comforting words in her ear, which made her smile, but unfortunately couldn't calm her heart.

The boys left, promising to return with Caleb and Pogue's clothes and pizza for dinner, and the girls settled on the beds, rehashing the events of the past week. After a while, Monica felt the urge to draw, and after asking Piper's permission, she pulled her large sketchbook and a piece of charcoal from under her bed, and settled against the headboard. Piper crossed the room, and sat on the desk facing her, and Monica asked her to talk about her and Reid, knowing that the love she felt would show on her face, allowing Monica to capture it on paper.

Her hand flew across the paper, random lines beginning to form a complete picture. First her nose, then her mouth, her forehead, the thick fringe that always fell to the right, and soon Piper's face was smiling back at her, save for the eyes. She always left the eyes until last, wanting to channel her energy into capturing the very essence of a person. Soon, the stunning orbs stared back at her, full of love, full of goodness, with a twinkle of the mischief that Piper was so fond off, clearly visible in charcoal. She smiled down at the picture before turning it around for her friend to see, a small tingle of pride running through her veins, when Piper gasped at her reflection on the page.

"Oh my god, Mon. It's amazing. It's... it's me! How did you do that?!" she gaped, taking the book in her hands, and tilting her head, half expecting the sketch to copy her.

Monica simply grinned and shrugged her shoulders. "It's easy to draw what you love," she smiled, and Piper threw her arms around her.

Sarah grinned from her place at Piper's side, not at all surprised of her cousin's talent. Monica grabbed the book off her friend, and quickly inscribed the bottom of the page, before tearing it out, rolling the paper up and grabbing a pink ribbon from her drawer, to secure it. She laughed as Piper held it to her chest, and collapsed onto Sarah's bed with a sigh. Monica smiled, climbing back to sit against the headboard again, and picked up her book, her mind formulating her next drawing.

Sarah had popped on a dvd and while she and Piper and settled on her bed to watch it, their faces were taking shape on the paper in front of Monica. She drew from a memory she had of a night at Nicky's. They had been sitting together, as Piper had told a joke, and Sarah had laughed, leaning so far forward that there was only an inch separating her forehead from Piper's. They were smiling into each other's faces, and Monica remembered thinking how good a photo it would have made, smiling as she captured the memory perfectly on the page.

She turned to a blank page, and half concentrated on the movie, as her hand drifted across the paper. A little while later, a small smile played at her mouth as Pogue stared back at her. He was leaning against his beloved bike, one hand resting on the seat, the other loosely clutching his helmet. His eyes were squinting against the glare of the sun, a sexy little smirk on his lips. She stared at the drawing for a few long moments, before closing the book and tucking it back under her bed. It had grown dark outside, and she wondered how the boys were fairing with their fathers.

She must have drifted off, as she was woken with a shake, a worried Sarah staring down at her. She rubbed her eyes, looking at her cousin in confusion.

"What the hell, bear? she exclaimed, frowning at the grip Sarah had on her arms. She glanced from Sarah's face to Piper's frightened one, and sat up against her pillows.

"Dude, what the hell were you dreaming about??" Piper asked, her voice quivering. Monica shook her head, unable to remember anything about her nap.

Sarah's sat next to her, her blue eyes troubled. "You were yelling, nica. You were yelling at someone, then you started screaming! You don't remember it?"

"No," Monica replied, her eyebrows drawn together in a frown. "What was I yelling about?" she asked.

Sarah glanced at Piper, who was biting her bottom lip, before looking back at her cousin. "You were saying 'No. Don't touch me. I'm not going anywhere with you'. Then you started screaming for Pogue."

Monica stared at her, open mouthed. She resembled a gold fish, her mouth opening and closing, but no words would formulate.

"You really don't remember any of it?" Sarah asked in a soft voice. Again, Monica shook her head, a look of worry settling on her features. Sarah wrapped her arm around her cousin, who had begun shivering, and looked up at Piper. "Maybe we should call the boys... Find out how far away they are."

"On it!" Piper replied, grabbing her phone from her bag.

"What do you think it means, bear?" Monica asked softly, not wanting to upset Piper any more than necessary.

"I don't know," her cousin replied, her arms tightening around her waist, "Gut feeling is that it has something to do with Chase. Like, maybe he's going to try and attack you..." her voice broke off, the dread of such a possibility hitting her.

Monica nodded with a sigh, "Yeah that's the feeling I have too..." she replied, as Piper hung up the phone.

She turned to the two girls on the bed, a look of relief adorning her face. "They're on their way back now. They're just going to pick up the pizzas. We'll get this sorted soon."

Monica and Sarah nodded, hoping she was right.


	25. Chapter 25

The boys filed into the room, Pogue and Caleb carrying duffel bags, Tyler lugging the pizzas and Reid holding the beer, big shock there. "So what happened?" Caleb asked, setting his bag down on Sarah's desk.

He swooped down to kiss Sarah before she started to speak. "Well, Pip and I were watching a movie, and Monica had fallen asleep. She started mumbling quietly, but we didn't really think anything of it."

"Yeah," Piper, chimed in, "we just figure maybe she was having a bad dream or something..."

Sarah nodded, grabbing a slice of pizza before continuing. "So, we let her go until she started yelling at someone. She was saying stuff like, 'Don't touch me', and 'I'm not going anywhere with you'. That's when we started to worry."

Monica sighed, frustrated at not having any memory of her dream, and slid a slice of pizza from the box. Pogue has dropped his bag beside Mon's bed, and hadn't moved from that spot. He just crossed his arms over his chest, a frown marring his handsome face.

"Did, she say anyone's name?" Reid asked, taking a swallow of his beer, "Anything to tell us who was attacking her?" Piper shook her head, her teeth gnawing at her lip, and Tyler put his arm around her in a comforting gesture.

"We were about to go over to her bed," Sarah said, reaching for a napkin, "when all of a sudden, she started screaming for Pogue. Like, full-on screaming..." A deep, primal growl escaped from her boyfriend, and Monica's hand gripped his thigh, trying to calm him down.

Caleb rose from his position on Sarah's bed and began pacing. His brows were drawn together in concentration, a muscle jutting out on his jaw. "Ok, so we don't know exactly who it was in her dream, but it's safe so say that we all suspect it's Chase. We already know he's planning something, and we're taking measures to keep you girls safe, so maybe we should just keep doing what we're doing, and see what happens. I really don't see any other alternative..."

Monica nodded, and leaned back against the headboard with a sigh. "Caleb's right. There isn't much more that we can do."

The rest of the group nodded in agreement, and began to tuck into the pizzas. "So," Monica asked between bites, "what happened with the 'dads'?"

"They're annoyed that we didn't go to them sooner," Tyler began, being the only one with an empty mouth. "They're a little concerned that we've had to divulge our secret to other people, they're very interested in meeting you and getting a better understanding of your gifts, and they're going to brainstorm to see if they can come up with some kind of a plan."

"What an overload," Sarah chuckled, grabbing another slice.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Piper exclaimed, "What gifts are we talking about? What's going on??" she looked from Monica, to Sarah, then to Reid. Sarah suddenly became very interested in the olives on her pizza, and Reid looked out the window, rubbing the back of his neck.

It was Monica who met her eye, and sighed. "You had just found out about the boys, and I didn't want to freak you out any more than you already were..."

"Ok," Piper nodded slowly.

"I'm, uh, gifted, I guess you could call it..." and she launched into the spiel that she gave the boys. Piper listened intently, interrupting with questions here and there, and finally accepted the truth, without even a hint of freaking out.

"Wow," she said, reaching for another slice. "I get why you didn't tell me before. I think you were right. I don't think I would have been able to handle that after finding out about the guys," she turned to Sarah with a smile, "So, are we just plain boring or what?!"

Sarah laughed as Reid threw his arm around his girlfriend's shoulder. "Never boring, babe. 'Specially not in the bedroom!" She gasped, then pushed him off the bed laughing, and the tension in the room disappeared.

Monica sighed, settling into the crook of Pogue's arm, and took another bite of her pizza. "So, when do they want to meet me?" she asked him softly, looking up at him.

"Tomorrow," he replied, "We'll take you there after school, and hopefully they'll have come up with some sort of a plan by then." She nodded, and he kissed her softly, smile crossing her face.

They had school the next day, so Tyler, Reid and Piper opted for an early night, heading back to their dorm. Sarah and Monica decided to brave the showers by taking the protection stones with them, and having the boys walk them and wait outside. After the quickest shower of their lives, they hurried back to the room, the silent, empty halls not feeling quite safe. As Sarah and Caleb settled themselves in bed and Pogue stripped to his boxers, Monica made her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

She had a mouthful of the frothy substance when Pogue strode into the small room, his arms wrapping around her waist and his chin against her shoulder, his eyes meeting hers in the mirror. "You ok?" he asked after a few moments.

She nodded before rinsing her mouth out, then straightened, and leant back against him. "Just worrying a little about everything. I've never dealt with something like this before..."

His arms tightened, and he dropped a kiss to her shoulder. "I won't let anything happen to you. Ever."

She smiled and turned in his arms, her hands resting loosely around his neck. "Ditto," she smiled, before kissing him deeply.

She left him to brush his teeth, and smiled as she passed her cousin's bed. Sarah and Caleb were cuddled up, trading small kisses, and they grinned at her she clicked her tongue at them. She climbed under the covers, and closed her eyes listening to the rain hitting the windowpane. She felt the covers being pulled back and Pogue's weight press onto the mattress. Opening her eyes, she smiled as he made himself comfortable, before curling into his side. She could feel his strong heartbeat under her palm, and the steady rhythm soothed her frayed nerves. He grinned as she sighed, and lifted a finger to tilt her face to his.

"Sweet dreams, beautiful," he whispered, then pressed a soft kiss on her lips, before sleep claimed her.


	26. Chapter 26

The boys figured everyone would be safe in the crowded halls and classrooms, so there wasn't any need to escort the girls around the buildings. Sarah and Monica made their way to their lockers, unable to relax, despite the amount of people around them. Monica was sifting through her books when she felt a pair of hands grip her hips and a weight press against her back.

"Hey gorgeous, what's say you and I skip this class and go do something a little more...risque?" Aaron whispered in her ear. Anger coursed through her body as she recalled their last encounter.

Quick as a flash, her head reeled back, her skull connecting with his nose. He howled in pain as blood began running down his face. Every single person in the halls had stopped, mouths gaping, as she stood with her face two inches in front of his, her green eyes furious as they met his watery blue ones.

"Get this through your thick skull, Aaron. You are the sleaziest, slimiest piece of shit to grace this planet, and if you ever, _ever,_ touch me again, it wont be your nose that gets broken, understand?" She glared at him until he nodded, blood pouring from between his fingers, then turned back to her locker, grabbed her books, and slammed the door shut.

She watched as Aaron disappeared towards the infirmary, and glanced over at her cousin, who was watching with wide eyes. "Oh. My. God," she whispered, "That was possibly the greatest thing I have ever witnessed, in my life!" She grinned as she looped her arm in Monica's, and they made their way to their first class, a sea of people parting before them.

"Wow...I kinda feel like Moses right now," Monica laughed, shaking her head at the faces that stared at her.

"Do you want me to 'let your people go'?" Sarah asked with a giggle.

They passed Reid, who was leaning against the lockers, and had watched the whole thing. "Way to go there, Rocky. Sexiest thing I've ever seen..." he smirked, as they walked up to meet him.

"You saw?" Sarah exclaimed, "Why didn't you do something?"

"I was just about to when Karate Kid here decided to massacre Abbot's face," he chuckled, throwing an arm around Monica's shoulders.

She laughed as a few people called out their congratulations to her. "Well, I'm no wimp, Garwin. I've been so uptight about this whole Chase thing, that there was no way I was going to let Aaron get away with that again. I think I put my pent-up frustration to good use, actually." Sarah nodded in agreement, and Reid laughed before leaving them at their classroom door.

The few people already sitting in the room clapped as she and Sarah ascended the stairs, and Monica gave a small curtesy before taking her seat. She felt every person who entered the room stare at her, but she only looked up when a shadow fell across her books. Her curious eyes met a set of furious ones, as the angry girl glared down at her. "Help you with something, frizzy?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. The redhead leaned low on the desk, her face only a couple of inches away from Monica's and she could feel her cousin tense beside her.

"You made a big mistake today, you public school piece of trash," she spat, her cheeks flushing with anger, "let me tell you something, you are going to pay. Big time," jabbing a finger hard into Monica's shoulder to emphasise her point. Monica's hand whipped up, grabbing the offending finger, and pulled it back at an unnatural angle.

She barely heard the gasps sound around the room, as she slowly rose to her feet, and tilted the finger back again, enough to elicit a squeak of pain from the redhead. "If I'm not going to take crap from a jerk like Aaron, you better believe I'm not going to take it from a pompous snob like you. Touch me again, and what I did to him will seem like a hair pulling contest, compared to what I do to you".

She released the finger as the teacher strode into the room, and 'frizzy' clutched her finger to her chest, tears welling in her eyes. She scrambled to her seat, aware of the muffled laughter echoing around the room. No one had ever dared do that to Kira before! Monica resumed her seat, sending a sidewards glance at her cousin, who was trying very hard not to laugh out loud. "What the hell was that about?" she whispered, the anger still evident in her voice.

Sarah managed to control herself and shifted closer to her cousin. "That was Kira Snider. She's Aaron's girlfriend. Kinda." she whispered, "You just stood up to the biggest bitch in school. That, combined with what you did to Aaron this morning, just made you a hero to a lot of kids, here at Spencer!" Monica laughed softly, turning her attention back to the teacher, and before they knew it, the bell signalled the end of class.

As they made their way to their next class, Monica heard Tyler call out to her from behind. They paused, allowing him to catch up, and he took great pride in revealing the amount of admiration everyone in school had for her for what she did to Aaron. They laughed as Sarah filled him in on the incident with Kira, and he gaped at her before lifting her off her feet in a bear hug. "Put me down, you big oaf," she giggled, before apologising to the people she had accidentally hit with her bag.

She and Tyler met up with the rest of the group at lunchtime, and had to re-tell the whole story. She had random people congratulating her, and she couldn't help but laugh as Pogue wrapped his arm around her waist, a look of pride on his face. She was sitting beside Caleb in her last class when Aaron walked through the door. She looked up at Caleb's stifled laugh, and her pointed at the new arrival, his shoulders shaking silently. When she glanced at the front, she had to cover the gasp that threatened to escape. There stood Aaron, glaring at anyone that dared laugh at him, this eyes puffy and bruised, and a strip of plaster across his nose.

She felt a momentary wave of guilt wash over her, but she quickly stamped it down, telling herself that the arrogant jerk needed to be taken down a peg. He glared at her as he climbed the stairs beside frizzy, and she couldn't help but smile when Caleb had to muffle his laugh again. His knee nudged hers under the table, and she had coughed to camouflage her chuckle. "I thought you were a nice boy, Danvers!" she whispered.

"Not when it comes to him," he answered with a grin. The class passed slowly, and she could feel Aaron and Kira's eyes burning into the back of her head. 'To hell with them', she thought as she concentrated on the board. She had better things to worry about.

Like meeting the 'Fathers of Ipswich'.


	27. Chapter 27

The final bell rang for the day, and Monica felt a sense of dread spread over her. Time to meet the folks. She couldn't lie- she was nervous as hell. She had hoped to meet Pogue's parents one day, but under phenomenally different circumstances. She rose from her seat with a sigh, and followed Caleb, first to their lockers and then to her room. Grabbing her jeans and a long sleeved top from the chair, she made her way to the bathroom and Sarah bustled through the door, her arms full of books. Caleb rushed to help her, and smiled gratefully, leaning up to kiss him hello.

As Monica exited the bathroom and crossed over to her bed, she let out a squeak as Pogue thrust the door open, almost taking her out in the process. "Sorry, babe," he chuckled, wrapping his free arm around her waist. She laughed as he picked her up off the ground and kissed her hard. A discreet cough from Caleb broke them apart, Monica blushing furiously while Pogue simply shrugged and threw his bag onto her desk. She slid down his body, the intimate touch lighting a fire in his veins, and her breath caught in her throat at the wicked glint in his eye. She bit her lip, a knowing smile crossing her face, and pushed away from him, dropping down on her bed.

He moved to his duffel bag, grabbing his jeans and a top and strode to the bathroom, as Sarah exited. A knock sounded at the door, and Caleb swung it open to reveal Reid, Tyler and Piper. The plan was for Sarah and Piper to stay here in the room, while the boys took Monica to the Simms Manor. Caleb quickly replaced Pogue and Sarah wrapped her arms around her cousin in a comforting hug. Monica sighed, returning the embrace, as Caleb strode out of the bathroom. He kissed Sarah quickly, Reid laying one on Piper before ushering Monica into the hall and out to the parking lot. Reid climbed into the front seat of the hummer while Monica slid in between Pogue and Caleb.

Monica was nervous, evident in the way she twisted her hands on her lap. Pogue reached out, placing his large hand over hers, and he could feel the slight tremor as he tightened his grip.

"There's no reason to be nervous," he said softly, leaning his head towards her ear, "They don't plan on scaring you, they just wanted to meet you..."

She nodded, raising her eyes to his, and try as she might, her smile wouldn't reach her eyes. She couldn't explain why she was so worried. Yes, she was nervous about the meeting, but there was something else too...some underlying danger that she couldn't quite get a handle on.

They pulled to a stop in front of Ty's, and Pogue let go of her hand as he climbed out of the car, only to grasp it again once she dropped beside him. She was grateful for the contact. Pogue kept her grounded. His presence always made her feel safe. Tyler led them through the door, and towards the formal living room. Monica had never gotten around to fully exploring the manor, and this new room took her breath away. It was stunning. The dark, plush carpet ran under expensive antique furniture, the rich, heavy drapes hanging at the window, bookcases lining every wall of the room, so high that they justified the need for the ladder. Pogue dropped her hand as she glanced around, walking over to greet the men, with the others, and when she turned her attention to the group she was struck by the similarity between fathers and sons.

Tyler stood, clasping the shoulder of a tall brunette. His hair was short and greying at the sides, but as the brilliant blue eyes flashed to hers with a smile, there was no denying that he was the Simms. Tyler held out his hand, and Monica took it as she was drawn to his side.

"Dad, this is Monica Wenham. Mon, this is my father, Stephen Simms."

Monica smiled and took the hand the elder Simms offered. "Nice to meet you, sir."

"It's lovely to meet you, Monica. The boys speak very highly of you." Monica blushed, but was relieved at the warmth in his greeting. Stephen turned to his right, motioning to the man beside him, very obviously Reid's father.

His shock of blonde hair was neatly combed against his head, unlike his son's unruly mane, but the blue eyes were a mirror image of Reid's. He also held our his hand, a welcoming smile spreading across his face, and she smiled in return, as she slipped her hand in his. "I'm Daniel, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Monica. I hope the boys have been treating you well," he greeted her, his eyebrows raised at his son.

She couldn't help but laugh at Reid's indignant expression. "Thank you Mr. Garwin," she replied, "and yes, the boys have been great. Even Reid." Laughter echoed around the room, as the boy in question frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Mon," Pogue called softly, holding out his hand, and she took a small breath before crossing to his side, his arm wrapping around her waist. She looked up, and saw that Pogue was definitely his father's son. Although his hair was much shorter, the eyes and mouth were identical, and despite her nervousness, Monica found herself smiling into a face she knew so well. "Mon, I'd like you to meet my father, Wayne Parry. Dad, _this_, is Monica."

She felt her heart skip a beat at Pogue's emphasis, and wondered how often she had been the topic of conversation between the two. Wayne grinned, before surprising her with a hug. Her eyes were wide, as she hesitantly clasped her hands around his body, the confusion evident in her face, as they pulled apart.

"I've heard a lot about you, Monica, between my son and my sister-in-law," Monica grinned as she remembered the cafe in the hills, "It's wonderful to finally meet you. Della was full of nothing but praise for the "gorgeous little creature" that accompanied my son that day."

Monica felt her face flush as she smiled up at him. "It's lovely to meet you too, Mr. Parry. Della and Murray are wonderful people. Very welcoming."

Pogue grinned as his father laughed, a deep rumbling from his chest. "Yes, yes they are. And you've left quite an impact on his aunt, Monica. I'm sure she's already planning wedding invitations!" Pogue groaned, running a hand through his hair, as Monica laughed again.

"Who's for a drink?" Mr. Simms interjected, walking towards a heavily stocked bar.

"Beer," came the chorus from the boys, and seven sets of surprised eyes snapped to Monica at her soft "Whiskey, please."

She shrugged as Wayne raised his eyebrows in question. "My grandfather taught me how to drink, so I have an appreciation of fine whiskey..."

Mr. Simm's laughter boomed from across the room, as he reached for a bottle of Chivas Regal from the shelf. "Then a fine whiskey you shall have, m'lady," he exclaimed, pouring a glass for her and the other men. Tyler handled out the beers, as his father passed around the glasses.

Monica thanked him, before taking a seat beside Pogue on the sofa, grinning as he threw his arm across her shoulders. She sighed as she took a sip of her drink, the smooth liquid lighting a comforting fire in her stomach. As everyone took their place, Monica gasped softly as a ring of fire flashed across Wayne's eyes, and the fireplace was suddenly ablaze. She didn't think she'd ever get used to that.

Mr. Garwin leaned forward on his seat, resting his elbows against his knees, his gaze locking on to Monica. "So, the boys have filled us in on your gifts, dear, but I'm afraid, we don't fully understand your capabilities," he said, and the other men nodded in agreement.

Their gasps soon echoed around the room, as Monica smiled and her eyes began to glow, and their attention soon turned to the large potted plant sitting in one corner of the room. The pot trembled as the stem of the plant grew and the vines began to spread across the walls and ceiling. Stunning flowers bloomed as the leaves raced around the room, soon covering the walls and ceiling completely. The fresh aroma of new blooms filled the air, and Mr. Simms stood from his seat and walked to one of the walls, reaching out a hand to pluck a new flower from the vine, and raising it to his nose. "Ahhhh, lavender," he sighed with a smile, tucking the sprig into his shirt pocket.

"Impressive," Mr. Garwin smiled, "anything else?"

Monica smiled again, and as the plant receded, thunder boomed overhead and a driving rain suddenly pelted against the windows of the room. Lightning flashed, and another roar of thunder caused every one of them to jump, with the exception of Monica, of course.

"That sounded like it was right above the house!" Wayne exclaimed, rising to his feet, as Monica stood. As suddenly as it had begun, the storm stopped. Monica held out her hand, palm facing the ceiling, and a small ball of fire rose from her fingers. She smiled as the flames licked her hand, dancing from finger to finger. Pogue watched as her face glowed in the firelight, grinning as he heard the coyote howls from the nearby woods.

The flame died down as Monica's eyes returned to normal, and she looked from one father to the next. Their eyes were alight with fascination and wonder, and any worries that she may have had about them accepting her abilities were washed away.

"Amazing..." Wayne softly exclaimed, and the other two nodded in agreement, speechless for the moment. At that very moment, the house lost power, the large room plunging into darkness, and Monica gasped, reaching for Pogue's hand as he rose.

"That wasn't me..." she whispered, her eyes straining against the darkness, the unsettled feeling having returned to her stomach. Pogue's hand tightened as an unfamiliar laughter echoed through the hall to the room.

"Well, well, well... Isn't this nice...?"


	28. Chapter 28

Monica gasped and Pogue's hand almost crushed hers as the chilling voice floated through the darkness. He pulled her behind him, and she sensed as his father moved to stand at her back, effectively protecting her. With a light '_whoosh_'_, _Monica watched as one by one, the candles in the living room alighted. As her eyes slowly adjusted to the soft light, she stared into the shadows of the hall, watching for movement from their intruder.

"What do you want, Chase?" Pogue's deep voice echoed into the darkness.

The soft, chilling laughter that greeted them made the hair on Monica's arm stand on end, and she instinctively moved closer to the boy in front of her. "Hmmmmm. Let me see. What could I possibly want?" Chase asked, his voice a picture of calm and civility. "I'd like to see your lifeless body lying on the floor in front of me, Parry. That'd be a start..."

Monica's blood froze at those words, and she could feel the anger in her body begin to well. "Ohhhhh... look at you, my emerald-eyed witch," he mused from the darkness. Tyler spared her a quick glance, grinning as her eyes shone a vibrant green, and took solace in the fact that Chase was easily outnumbered. "What fun I'll have with you, once I put your boyfriend in the ground."

Monica could feel her body begin to shake, anger taking a hold. She heard Pogue growl before he moved to step around the couch and his father shot out, grabbing him by the shoulders. "Don't be stupid, son," he whispered, "it's what he wants!"

"Why don't you show yourself, you fucking coward?!" Reid spat, his hands balled into fists.

"Don't insult my intelligence, Garwin. I'm well aware of the fact that you have all ascended; I'm not about to throw myself into a bull-ring. Soon enough one by one, each of the 'sons' will kiss their ass goodbye." The flames on the candles began to leap wildly as Monica's anger grew, and Chase laughed again, the soft, melodious sound floating through the doorway. "Careful there, little one," he crooned, "don't make me angry now..."

"Go to hell," she spat, and the flames surged, chasing the shadows from the room.

"I look forward to taming you, firebird," he warned before the window nearest Monica and Pogue imploded, and the lights in the house began burning again.

Monica gasped, as small shards of glass hit her skin, and Wayne rushed over to draw the heavy drapes, blocking the bitter wind that now whipped around the room. The boys breathed an audible sigh of relief, as it became obvious that Chase was gone. Monica picked up her glass, knocking back the remainder of the whiskey in one swallow, wincing as the liquid sparked a fire along her throat, and in her stomach.

Mr. Simms followed suit before crossing to the bar and refilling his glass. "Well then," he began, emptying the new contents of his glass, "that was interesting."

"Worrying, more like it," Mr. Garwin interjected, falling heavily into his seat.

"What ever it was, it needs to be dealt with," Mr. Parry countered, leaning against the side of a chair.

"And soon," Reid piped up, moving to stand beside Monica. "I don't like his interest in Mon," he said with a frown.

"So let's settle it now," Monica said softly, staring into her empty glass. She looked up at the lack of reply and was met by seven frowning faces. "He'll be around here somewhere, so let's just go out into the woods now, wait for him to show, and take him down."

"Mon-" Pogue began, running a hand through his hair.

"No, Pogue. I'm sick of being afraid. He's building up to something bad, and I don't really want to just sit around twiddling my thumbs. We need to act defensively. We need to do something he's not expecting, and facing off with him right now falls into that category, if you ask me."

A mass of emotion ran across the faces in front of her. Anger. Fear. Frustration. Comprehension. And she stood tall before them, her eyes hard, willing them to understand.

"She's right," Wayne stepped forwards, holding his hand up as Pogue began to interrupt, "He wont be expecting us to respond immediately. He's waiting for us to ponder the situation and figure out the best way to proceed. He's waiting for us to become distracted so that he can swoop. Right now is the best time for us to attack."

The other nodded in agreement, and Monica rose to her feet. She crossed to Pogue, who had opened the drapes covering the broken window and was now staring into the inky blackness of night. She circled her arms around his waist, and laid her head against his broad back, listening to his steady heartbeat.

"We need to do this, Pogue. We can't run from him, like he expects us to." She heard his deep sigh, before he turned in her arms, his hands coming up to cup her face.

"I couldn't handle it if anything happened to you, Mon," he whispered, and her heart skipped a beat at the emotion she saw there.

"Nothing can happen if you're there to protect me. My grandmother told me I needed to trust in you, but you have to trust me too, Pogue. _This_ is the only way we can beat him. We can't let him catch us unaware." She rose on her toes as he frowned, and pressed her lips against his reassuringly. His hand moved to cup the back of her head, and he deepened this kiss for a moment, before breaking away, and turning to face the others.

"Let's do this then."


	29. Chapter 29

As Monica walked slowly towards the small pond in the woods behind the Simms' manor, she could feel her heart rate begin to slow and her senses become sharper, as they always did. She could make out the sounds of the guys behind her, keeping a slight distance between themselves and her. She could hear the distant chatter of the many animals that took up residence in the forest, and knew that somewhere in the darkness, the coyotes were near. Searching the woods in her peripheral vision, she knelt by the water, skimming her fingertips lightly across the surface, _introducing herself_, if you will.

She felt a new presence behind her, and knowing that the others had stopped further back in the woods, she braced herself for some kind of attack from Chase. When nothing happened, she turned, a wary frown on her face, and found his standing about two metres away from her, a small smile playing on his face. "Trying to trap me, firebird?" he asked, taking a slow step toward her.

"Why would we, Chase? You're too smart to fall for something like that," she replied, her ears picking up the sounds of the guys moving closer.

"Where are the others?" he asked, taking a sweeping glance around him, squinting into the shadows between the trees.

"They're in there," she smiled, knowing there was no point in lying. "They're waiting."

"Hmmm. Waiting for what, exactly?" he asked, taking another couple of steps closer. She steeled herself against the pull of him, refusing to succumb to his charming smile.

"You," she smiled, as her eyes glowed, and she took a step backwards, the rippling pond solidifying under her feet.

Chase grinned at her, and made to step after her, only to halt abruptly as the rippling water returned at his feet, refusing him access. In the distance, a coyote threw back it head and howled, the haunting sound complementing such a dark night. He frowned, raising his hand towards Monica, and she felt an invisible force began to pull at her. Focusing her concentration on remaining grounded, she turned and walked to the other side of the pond, the water solidifying with each step she took, only to melt the moment her foot broke contact.

"Enough!" Chase growled from behind her, and she stopped once she hit the grass, turning towards him with one eyebrow raised.

"Yes?" she asked, revelling in the anger mounting in his face. A small smirk played at her mouth while she watched as the vines from nearby trees encircled his feet, though not yet touching. His surprise registered as he began to stalk towards her, and the vines at his feet snapped around his ankle, wound their way around his waist and along his arms, securely pinning him to the spot.

"What th-?!" She smiled as he struggled against the branches, growling as more wrapped themselves around him.

As the others stepped into the clearing Chase whipped his head around, his eyes black, and began to laugh.

"Do you think this is enough to stop me?" he taunted, and with a flick of his head, sent Tyler flying into the nearest tree.

Monica gasped as he hit the wood with a _thud_, only breathing again, as Tyler struggled to his feet. In anger, her eyes flashed, and Chase cried out as his bindings constricted, crushing him. He threw his head back with a roar, and the ground around them began to shake. Monica gasped as the wood splintered on the nearby trees. Her heart broke as she heard the wood shattering, and the trees were ripped from the ground with a violent force.

As the vines fell away from his body, Chase laughed at her devastated expression. "Impressive, firebird, but not nearly good enough," he taunted, and turned his attention to the men that had surrounded him as the first ball of energy sailed through the air, hitting him square in the chest. He stumbled backwards then regained his balance, and turned with a smile, before sending a ball of his own back. It hit Reid, knocking him into Mr. Simms and sent them flying through the air, skidding to a stop near the trees. Quick as a flash he threw another at Tyler, sending him back into the tree before rounding on Pogue.

Pogue, threw himself to the ground as the energy ball sailed towards him, and felt it _whoosh_ above his head as it passed, and braced himself for the next assault. However, he heard a grunt of pain, and raised his head in time to see Chase flying through the air, the power of Caleb's energy enough to knock him off his feet. As he landed, he was hit by another, and then another as Caleb, Wayne and Mr. Garwin advanced on him. Pogue jumped to his feet, and ran towards them, casting a quick glance at Monica. She was crossing the pond again, striding towards Chase.

However, with her concentration on the water, Chase saw his opening, and raised his hand towards her, then at the ground, and she screamed as she plunged beneath the surface. The men faltered, and Pogue rushed to the side of the pond, searching for her, but he couldn't see anything beneath the black water.

"Stop! Or I swear I will bury her so far at the bottom of the pond that you'll never find her!" Chase called, as he struggled to his feet. The others halted, and watched him warily as he backed towards the trees.

Beneath the water, Monica was struggling against some unseen force, trying to make her way to the surface. The pond was surprisingly deep, and as she was pulled further and further under, she could feel the darkness take a hold of her consciousness, her efforts waning. Just before she lost the fight altogether, images of her mom, her grand parents, Sarah, Pogue, Tyler, Reid and Caleb flashed through her mind, and she felt an anger surge through her body, the likes of which she had never felt before. An unmeasurable amount of fury flowed through her, and with a watery scream, she willed her body upward, her mind set on tearing Chase apart.

On land, the others were startled as suddenly, Monica's body broke through the surface of the water with a roar, and she landed in a crouch beside the pond. She rose, her wet hair plastered to her face and back, and snapped her eyes the group of men in front of her. A collective gasp arose, as her eyes shone as red, and glanced over them, coming to rest on a shocked Chase. It was with fear in his eyes that he raised his hands, summoning a large energy ball, but as he was about to release it, he was knocked backwards of his feet.

He hit the ground hard, and gaped up at her, a strong wind whipped past her body, throwing itself into him. He tried to stand several times, only to be knocked down again by the hurtling wind. The others took advantage of the reprieve, lobbing ball after ball of energy at him, until he was bleeding from his nose and mouth. As he lay there, the wind around them died down, and Chase groaned as he slowly climbed to his feet.

"This isn't over," he spat, wincing from the pain of talking, and turned to flee into the woods, only to come face to face with thirty snarling coyotes.

Their white coats shimmered in the moonlight as their hackles rose and lips pulled apart to reveal gnashing teeth. They growled as they advanced, and as Chase stumbled away from the, he lost his footing and fell to the ground. As soon as Chase hit the ground, the dogs attacked, leaping at him one after another, until all you could see was a sea of white, snapping at something on the ground. Monica closed her eyes and covered her ears, and the others averted their faces, as Chase's screams pierced the silent night.

Monica felt Pogue's arm wrap around her shaking form, and she buried her head into his chest, her hands still over her ears. She didn't know how long they stood like that before he reached up, and wrapped his fingers around her wrist. "It's over," he whispered, pulling her hand down to his chest, and as she opened her eyes and looked up at him, her vision swam.

"What have we done?" she asked tearfully, her eyes back to their normal colour, and he brought his hands up to cup her face again.

"He would have killed us, Mon. We did what we had to do," he replied, pulling her back into the circle of his arms, as she nodded, tears tracing a wet path down her cheeks.

"It's ready," Caleb called some time later, and Monica pulled away from Pogue to see what he was talking about. The boys had piled branches close to the pond, and Monica realised that the body of Chase lay somewhere amongst the leaves. She knew what had to be done. She slipped her hand into Pogue's and they joined the others around the bundle, and with a sigh, Monica touched her fingers to the wood, watching as a small flame raced along one branch, then another and so on. They stood there while the fire took a hold, each lost in their own thoughts as the flames danced before their eyes.

"You kids go on back to the dorms. We'll take care of it from here," Wayne said, moving to stand beside his son. "I'm so proud of you," he smiled as they turned to face him. Pogue smiled in return, as Monica was pulled into a hug.

"Thanks, Mr. Parry. Are you sure you'll be ok here?" she asked as she pulled away.

"We'll be fine, sweetheart," Mr. Garwin called from across the small bon fire, "you kids go get some sleep now." The boys nodded, bidding them goodbye, and slowly the group made their way out of the woods.

Monica sighed as Pogue wrapped his arm around her waist, and felt a weariness wash over her. Pogue grinned as she stifled a yawn. "Long night, huh?"

"The longest," she replied with a smile, "I can't wait to get back, have a hot shower, and sleep for a couple of years."

"Amen to that!" Tyler laughed from beside her, and she grinned, slipping her hand into his.

"You ok, Ty? You took a fair hit," she asked, a frown marring her face.

He stretched his back, wincing at the slight pain he felt. "Nothing a hot shower and some aspirin wont fix."

She smiled as she climbed into the car behind Caleb and Pogue slipped in behind her. "Let's go home, boys," she muttered as she snuggled into Pogue's side.

Tyler grinned as he pulled out of the driveway and glanced in the rear view mirror. Monica was already asleep.


	30. Chapter 30

****Chapter thirty**

Monica roused as they pulled through the gates of Spencer, blinking the sleep from her eyes as she looked around her. Pogue felt her movement and opened his own eyes, lifting his head from the back of the seat. "Hey," he smiled down at her, as she raised her sleepy eyes to his face, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok," she smiled up at him, "I feel like a drowned rat, and I'm a little sore, but I guess that's to be expected..."

Pogue grinned, his eyes roaming over her hair. "Uh," he began with a chuckle, "definitely not a drowned rat..."

She frowned, her hands coming up to her hair, groaning as she felt the tangled curls under her fingers. "Oh god! I must look like a wreak!"

Reid had turned in his seat to inspect the damage, his muffled laughter only causing her to groan again. "Nah, you look fine, Medusa- I mean Monica... OW!!" he exclaimed as she leaned forward to smack the back of his head, unable to stop the feeble giggle that escaped her lips.

She could feel Pogue's silent laughter beside her, as she turned towards Caleb. "Did you call the girls?"

"I did," he replied, his eyes scanning the school grounds, landing on the anxious blonde standing by the dormitory door. "Sarah's a little freaked out, so be prepared. She couldn't believe we went for it tonight."

Monica sighed, her eyes spotting her cousin as she raced towards the now-parked car, Piper close behind her. Her exhausted body stumbled climbing from the backseat, and she heard Sarah's gasp as Pogue's hands shot out to steady her.

"Oh my god, Nica, are you ok??" Sarah cried as she wrapped her arms around Monica.

"I'm ok, bear, I'm ok," she replied, holding her cousin tight. "I'm just tired. I need some sleep. And some food. And a shower... but not in that order..." she broke of with a grin, feeling her cousin relax against her body.

Sarah pulled back with a grin, although her eyes were still troubled, and moved Caleb, wrapping her arms around him and burying her head in his chest. "I'm so glad you're ok!" she breathed, "what the hell were you thinking?!"

Caleb chuckled, trying to dodge the fist against his shoulder, before glancing at Pogue and Monica's retreating back. "Actually, it was Monica's idea, Sarah. She knew that Chase wouldn't have been expecting an attack straight away. We had to hit him hard and fast."

Sarah sighed, moving to his side as they followed the rest of the group into the building. "How is she, really?" she asked, her teeth gnawing at her bottom lip.

"I think she's going to be ok," Caleb sighed, dragging a hand across his tired face. "She's so powerful, Sarah. The things she can do ... And her eyes were red at one stage - have you ever seen them red?"

Sarah shook her head with a frown. "No. Never. I'll speak to Nana about it. Maybe it happened to Aunt Carmen before..."

Their conversation came to an end as they rounded the corner, and the girl's room came within earshot. The door to Piper's room was open, and they could hear her rummaging around, Reid loudly recounting the events of the night.

Monica was perched on the edge of her desk with her towel and clothes on her lap, waiting for her cousin. As Sarah hurried around the room, gathering her things, Piper reappeared with her towel and clothes, leaning against the desk beside Monica. She glanced at Monica quickly before looking away, silently debating whether or not to speak.

"It's ok, pip, you can talk to me. I'm not going to break down in hysterics or anything..." Monica mused, a small smile playing at her mouth.

Piper gave her a guilty smile before wrapping an arm around her friend's waist. "Are you ok? I mean, really ok? Reid told me what happened... with the coyotes and stuff. Something like that can really take it's toll..."

The smile on Monica's face slowly died, the brief moment of hearing Chase scream ringing in her ears. She wasn't ok. She was far from it. But there was no way she could let them know. So instead, she summoned the small smile again and patted her concerned friend's thigh. "I'm fine. Tired, sore and a little bit freaked out by it all happening so fast, but I'm good."

It satisfied Piper, and she grinned as Sarah appeared before them with her shower gear. The two girls chatted on the way to the showers, while Monica just smiled, and nodded her head at the appropriate time. The deserted bathroom allowed them separate stalls, and as the hot water flowed over her head and down her shoulders, Monica braced herself against the wall with her hands. She didn't realise she was crying until her shoulders began to shake and a muffled sob escaped her lips. Blessedly, the loud singing coming from the other stalls drowned out the sobs that continued to rack her body, and as the night's events hit her, she sank to her knees in the stall, the water cascading over her hunched figure.

She was only vaguely aware of Sarah opening the door and shutting the water off, but as her cousin dropped to her knees beside her and wrapped her arms around her shaking form, another wave of misery washed over her, bringing with it a new flood of tears. "Mon?" Sarah asked, the concern evident in her voice. "Nica? What's wrong?" she asked a little louder, her worry increasing at Monica's silence. "Piper, go get Pogue. Quick!"

Piper took off running, clad only in her towel, as Sarah rocked her cousin in her arms. Try as she might, Monica couldn't stop crying as flashbacks began assaulting her eyes. Over and over, she saw the boys being hurt, the beautiful trees breaking by Chase's violent hand, her struggle under the water, Chase being attacked by the coyotes, and the screaming. Oh god, his screams.

Pogue burst through the bathroom door, followed closely by Caleb and Piper, and his heart dropped at the sight of the two girls kneeling on shower floor, Monica's agonised sobs filling the room, echoed by Sarah's soft voice. "...Shhhhh, baby... It's ok... It's going to be ok... Nothing can hurt you now... Shhhh, please don't cry, Nica..." Sarah glanced up as Pogue appeared beside her, Monica's dry towel in his hand. He draped it around her shoulders as Sarah' stood to allow him access, then simply pulled her into his arms and positioned himself against the wall, Monica between his legs. One hand cradled her head while the other palmed comforting circles on her back, and she pressed her face into his chest, her tears drenching the material, while her shaking hands clutched his shirt.

Caleb appeared behind a tear-streak Sarah, and at Pogue's nod, drew her out of the stall and ushered the girls back to their rooms. It was a good twenty minutes later when Monica had finally stopped crying, and soon the occasional hiccup gave way to deep, even breathing, having finally exhausted herself into a slumber. Pogue adjusted her towel, then scooped her into his arms and exited the bathroom. Thankfully, the quiet halls were empty as he made his way back to the room, and Sarah had already prepared Monica's bed for him. Sarah jumped to her feet as Pogue entered, but halted as she saw her sleeping cousin in his arms. Once Pogue had settled Monica on the bed, Sarah helped him make her comfortable before tucking the covers around her small body, then made her way over to her bed, where Caleb sat.

Pogue pressed a light kiss to Monica's forehead before grabbing the chair from Sarah's desk and planting himself beside his friends. Sarah cast her cousin a worried glance before turning her attention to the two men before her. "What they hell happened out there?" she whispered, " She said she was ok!"

Caleb shrugged, shaking his head. "I don't know. She seemed ok. More than ok... Maybe she was in shock..."

Pogue nodded in agreement, his eyes not leaving Monica's sleeping form. "I think that's it. She had to have been in shock, and now it's all coming out. It was pretty bad, tonight. I think we'll need to keep an eye on her for awhile. I'll speak to the headmaster tomorrow, and tell him you're both really sick or something. Hopefully buy you a few days off- help her recover..."

"Good idea," Sarah replied, a sad smile gracing her lips as she looked over at her cousin. "At least she seems peaceful now...". Both boys agreed.

.

Behind Monica's eyelids, however, it was a vastly different story....

.


	31. Chapter 31

****CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE**

._Monica was drowning. Someone had a hold of her ankle, pulling her further and further from the surface of the pond. She could see Pogue, her sanctuary, searching for her in the inky blackness, his hand diving into the water repeatedly, only to stop short of hers each time. She frantically kicked at whoever had a her ankle, but they maintained that iron grip, pulling her away from safety. The blackness of the pond began to mesh with the blackness clouding her mind, and as Monica felt the hand around her ankle rise, the roughness grating over her calf, she panicked._

_She lashed out with her all her might, her arms and legs flailing. By some miracle, she managed to free herself from that cold grasp, and her exhausted limbs began to make their way towards the surface. She could feel death chasing her, her lungs full of water. She was so close to Pogue's hand under the water, their fingers would connect at any second. Then it grabbed her ankle again. Her mouth opened in a scream, and it felt as though her chest was exploding. As she was pulled back into the murky darkness, she could hear Pogue's agonised cries grow more and more distant... "Monica!... Monica!... Mon-"_

"-ica!... Mon! Wake up, baby, c'mon!" The deep timbre of Pogue voice penetrated her consciousness, and Monica woke on a muffled scream, her ragged breathing a result of the tremors racking her body. "Hey... hey, you with me? Monica, you with me?" As she fought through the fogginess of her dream, she slowly became aware of Pogue holding her against his chest, one of his big hands trapping both of hers against her stomach. She glanced from Pogue's worried face, down to her hands, then across at the shocked faces of her cousin and Caleb, and finally back to Pogue.

"What's wrong?" she asked, completely unaware of the horror that had filled her dreams a minute earlier. "Ow, Pogue, you're hurting me!" she exclaimed struggling against his hold. He let go at once and as she rubbed her sore wrists, she caught the worried looked that passed between the three other people. "What? What's wrong? Did something happen??"

"You don't remember?" Sarah asked as she rounded her bed to kneel on the floor beside her cousin. "You were having a nightmare..."

Monica shook her head, a frown marring her pretty face. "I... no... Was it bad? The last thing I remember is being in the shower, and then waking up just now..."

Pogue sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You were having a nightmare. Mumbling something... I don't know what. Then you started freaking out. Punching and kicking all over the place. Landed a good one on me too..." he finished with a grin.

"Oh my god," she gasped as she noticed the welt on his jaw. "Oh Pogue, I'm so sorry!" She raised her hand to lightly touch his jaw, smiling as he closed his eyes and sank his cheek into her palm.

"It's ok," he grinned, "I know you didn't meant it. But you really don't remember your dream?"

She shook her head, her hand dropping to her lap. "No, I wish I did though. Probably has something to do with tonight..._last _night," she corrected, sneaking a glance at the alarm clock.

"I'd say that's a safe bet," Caleb piped up from Sarah's bed. "It was pretty full on..."

The room fell into silence, three people focused on one bent head. "No point dwelling on it now," Monica sighed as Sarah made her way back to her bed, "why don't you try to get back to sleep? I, on the other hand, am going to put some clothes on, _sheesh!"_ she laughed, only now noticing her lack of attire. Caleb grinned as Sarah covered his eyes, while Monica clutched the towel around herself as best she could and made a dash for the bathroom, only stopping to collect her shorts and tank from a chair.

Returning to bed once she was clothed, she smiled as Pogue pulled her into the curve of his arm. "If I start lashing out again, you have my permission to tie me to the bed," she said softly, biting her lip at the frustrated groan that escaped his throat.

"No, I think we'll save that for when you're feelin' better," he grinned, before pulling her into a deep kiss.

Monica laughed as they broke apart, and snuggled into his warmth. "Goodnight, beautiful," was the last thing she heard before sleep claimed her.

*****************

Pogue woke a short time later, and it took a few moments to realise what had woken him. Monica's side of the bed was cold. Frowning, he glanced around the room, his heat rate picking up as he realised the door was wide open. "Shit!' he hissed, jumping from the bed and throwing on his sweats and hoodie, trying to be as quiet as he could. Closing the door behind him, he paused in the hallway, looking left and right, trying to figure out which way she would have gone. Bathroom? Outside? Piper? The boys? His instinct was to head outside, and before he knew it he was hurrying towards the large oak doors.

The bitter wind whipped around him as he stepped onto the front steps, the coldness seeping into his skin. Cursing himself for leaving his shoes in the room, he hurried down the steps, scanning the grounds for any sign of his girlfriend. From the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of white disappear around the corner of a building and, ignoring the freezing grass against his bare soles, he took off after it. Rounding the corner, he slowed to a jog as he spotted Monica's familiar figure sitting cross-legged in the middle of the field.

Her back was to him, and as far as he could tell, she wasn't aware of his presence. The three white coyotes surrounding her, however, we well aware of him. They sprang from their crouched positions to stand behind her, a protective barrier of raised hackles and low growling. Pogue slowed even more, his eyes turning black in anticipation of trouble. "Monica?" he called out, taking a couple of very slow steps towards her, "Mon?" He received no response, but could hear her low murmurs. Changing direction, he began to make his way to the side, the coyotes mimicking his every move. Their gleaming, intelligent eyes watched him intently, their unwavering concentration putting him on edge.

Eventually, he had circled around Monica's muttering figure and finally stood before her, the dogs still standing guard. Her head was down-bent, as if she were staring at the grass, and her right hand was raised, her fingers tracing some imaginary design in the air. Her murmurs became hurried and her hand frantically danced through the air. Pogue took another step closer, bringing himself within about a metre of her, and crouched to one knee. "Mon...?" he called again, a little louder than before, and his breath caught in his throat as her hear shot up.

Red eyes burned into his black ones, and she tilted her head to the side, studying this intruder. _"Guao ohr nahil? Baaen nak drual nahil!"_ She watched him, waiting for him to answer whatever question she has asked. _"Guao ohr nahil?"_ She asked again, in that foreign tongue. She tilted to the other side, frowning when he didn't answer her. Lowering her head, her right hand rose again, dancing through the air. She seemed to have drifted off again.

"Monica?" Pogue called again, having recovered from his shock, and his reflexes kicked in, pushing him to his feet, as she shot up from her position.

She stood angry before him, her eyes flashing, and he couldn't help but back away as she took a few steps towards him. _"GUAO OHR NAHIL?! BRYNSE EC SHUL, MHAGIR GHU QUAHRUK!!"_ she exclaimed. A flash of green had Pogue glancing down, and he was astounded to see her hands and forearms glowing. Green flames caressed her skin. It was mesmerising. Pogue was only jolted from his reverie by her shout of _"TUANTHMIR EC SOLUI MIR EGRU SUK!"_ and a flash of green as the flames hit the ground, vanishing from her hands.

Pogue managed to catch her, as Monica's exhausted body collapsed, and as he lay her down on the grass, the coyotes surrounded him, whimpering and nuzzling her unconscious form. Trying not to panic, Pogue searched for her pulse, sighing in relief as he felt the faint bump bump under his fingertips. Ignoring the beasts beside him, he scooped Monica into his arms and made his way back to the dorms. He almost collided with a dishevelled Caleb in the corridor, the latter having woken suddenly with an uneasy feeling, and having seen the other bed empty, decided to investigate. In hushed voices, Pogue filled Caleb in on what had just happened, and they both came to the conclusion that they could keep it to themselves for now. They needed to do a little digging before worrying the girls.

After settling Monica back into bed, Pogue pulled up a chair and parked himself at the foot of her bed. He didn't trust himself to be able to stay awake if he was too comfortable. And he definitely didn't want to fall asleep and risk having her disappear again. Raking his hand through his hair, he sighed, his eyes never straying from the girl he was falling in love with. She was an enigma, that's for sure, and Pogue was worried. He was worried about what had happened, about the changes that seemed to be happening to her, but more than anything, he was worried that he wouldn't be able to protect her. It made him sick to think of her in danger, or pain.

He needed to figure out what was going on. And soon.

.


End file.
